


a hostile paradise

by Lackyducks



Category: Hermitcraft
Genre: Action/Adventure, Battle, Broken Bones, Canon-Typical Violence, Concussions, Dungeon, Exhaustion, Exploration, Gen, Injury, Light Angst, Magical Admin Powers, Missing Persons, Multiple Perspectives, Team as Family, new worlds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-11-08
Packaged: 2020-09-25 02:27:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 35,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20369119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lackyducks/pseuds/Lackyducks
Summary: Grian goes missing. Trying to find him brings the Hermits to a whole new adventure, with more questions than answers.





	1. an engineer and admin go looking for a friend

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first hermitcraft fic! i only got into the fandom recently, so excuse inaccuracies. time wise it's right after keralis joining. i won't be including any ships in this because i don't know where all the hermits stand on that. 
> 
> this is mostly unplanned so tags, ratings, warnings, etc might change throughout the fic! i'll try to warn if anything major happens.

None of the others took to flying as naturally as Grian. He's a familiar sight, ducking and diving through structures, a flash of red against varying shades of blue. At first, of course, he crashed. And he crashed often. But now he has a entire course of his own, which he holds the record for, and none of them have been able to beat. It's an easy statement to make: Grian is the best Hermit at flying.

None of them question it. Grian's new, eager to learn about the world around him. His world was older, he explained, cradling a turtle egg to his chest. He's not used to all this stuff to explore. Then he'd head off, cause whatever mischief it was he'd cause, and slowly work on the towering building he was calling home.

Mumbo grows closest to Grian. He's not sure if it's by his own choice considering one of their first interactions ended in a lot of feathers. But they strike up a friendship. Their skills complement each other. Grian comes to Mumbo asking for advice on redstone, listening eagerly as Mumbo explains things. Not all of it goes in, but Grian listens. He tries to be a good learner, and Mumbo appreciates that. In return, Grian will happily build, or give advice on buildings or ideas. It's what he enjoys and he's more than happy to share that with Mumbo.

As well as the feathers, chickens, civil war, mustache removal machine, and various other pranks. But that's besides the point.

The point being: Grian is Mumbo's friend and Mumbo's pretty proud of it, actually.

Which is why it's so unusual when Grian goes missing without telling Mumbo.

He's checked most places he can think of now. Everytime he messages Grian's communicator he receives 'Message Failed To Send' back. Grian's pretty notorious for getting into a project and forgetting to charge it, but this is getting silly now. A few days? That's reasonable. A _fortnight_? Something's wrong.

His projects haven't changed since Mumbo last saw them. The haunted house sits half finished, his diamonds uncollected, his base untouched (at least, Mumbo assumes so. He's not searching that excuse for storage.) The time machine hasn't even been stolen. Everybody he talks to doesn't know either.

Iskall says he hasn't seen him after he built Sahara Now. (Though he admits, in a quieter voice, "I'm starting to worry about him, Mumbo. He's not done this before.")

Rendog hasn't had a word from him after the camp. If Mumbo finds him, he'd like to know.

Doc and Scar deny anything. They're suspicious of him, sure, but they wouldn't go so far to_ kidnap_ the guy. Mumbo bites his tongue at that one, but checking Cub's surveillance drones confirms he's not been there.

Most of the other Hermits he sends a message to. None of them have seen him, but he gets a few promises to keep an eye out. Cleo even offers to do another fly around of the server just for him.

It's then he goes to Xisuma.

They try not to ask much of Xisuma. He's happy to use his admin abilities, but it's a lot of data for one person to handle. He's always tired after. A bit headachey and ready to sleep for a day. So they do their best to handle their problems first. He thinks it's kind of an ego thing too. Nobody wants to mess up bad enough to need the admin's help. Mumbo is pretty lucky nothing's gone so badly wrong he's needed to. Redstone can be fickle when it wants to be.

**[MumboJumbo] Hey X? You free right now?**

He's in Grian's base again. Nothing has changed. The building feels so empty without its chaotic occupant. Like redstone missing a power source. He takes out a rocket, clumsily flies down to the ground floor. His communicator beeps as he hits the ground.

**[Xisuma] im free. where do you want to meet?**

**[MumboJumbo] Grian's base. If that's alright with you**

**[Xisuma] on my way**

All credit to him, Xisuma doesn't take long to arrive. Mumbo hears the familiar sound of rockets, a slight whistling before footsteps touch down. Mumbo's moved in front of the mustache machine. Iskall helped him get it back, but the machine still hasn't been reset.

"Mumbo?" Xisuma calls, voice echoing around the large building.

"At the machine." Xisuma is next to him within seconds, landing carefully beside him. He's no longer emerald, Mumbo notices. The visor of his helmet opens, and Mumbo can just about see the scar across his face at this angle.

"Mumbo, hey." Xisuma raises a hand, placing his fireworks away. Mumbo gives him half a wave back, tears his eyes away from the machine. "Why did you want to see me, then?"

Mumbo sighs, "Grian didn't mention anything to you, right? About taking a break or going inactive... or anything?" Xisuma crosses his arms.

"No. I've heard that nobody's seen him recently, though? Do you have any news?" His concern sounds genuine and the worry in his eyes hurts. Mumbo knows Xisuma feels some responsibility for them all. Parental instinct or something. It's nice, knowing someone's looking out for them. Someone, at least, with slightly terrifying powers he's sworn only to use for good.

"Nothing. I've heard _nothing,_ X and-"

"You want me to find him?" Xisuma finishes. Mumbo sighs, looks up at the machine.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do." He jumps when Xisuma puts a hand on his arm, from just out of his view. Mumbo turns to him. Xisuma has a kind smile. Sympathetic, except Mumbo finds he doesn't mind it. It was annoying at first, but he's beginning to appreciate sympathy in this situation.

"Give me a few minutes. You can watch if you want." Mumbo nods, sticks his hands in his trouser pockets. Xisuma presses a button on the side of his helmet, sits down on the ground as his visor closes, hiding his face once more. Mumbo stands back, watching the screens that appear in front of Xisuma. They're always faint by his standard. He thinks they must be easier to see with the helmet on, because Xisuma navigates through them naturally.

Seeing all the information about the world makes Mumbo feel a little dizzy, if he's honest.

He can't make out a lot of it. It's written in a format that's hard to read as quickly as Xisuma does. But he sees pictures of them, of the world. Makes out the occasional word. Data, input, stuff he recognises from redstone. Xisuma works it all like a dance. Tapping and swiping until he stops, drops his hands to his side. Mumbo stops looking at the screens then, and looks at Xisuma. He's holding himself rigidly. Even if Mumbo can't see his face, the drop in his stomach suggests it's bad news.

"Right."

Mumbo echoes, "Right?" The screens blink away, and Xisuma stands, crosses his arms. His visor stays in place.

"I- um. I can't find him." Even without seeing his face, Mumbo can tell Xisuma isn't looking at him. His helmet is tilted away, and Mumbo can guess this is something he probably doesn't want to admit.

"Xisuma," Mumbo says, taking a step towards him. Xisuma startles slightly, stepping back with his arms up and Mumbo deflates. "What do you mean you can't find him?" He tries to keep his anger out of his tone. It's not Xisuma's fault. He can't place the blame on him.

"I'm not sure how, or why, but-" Xisuma rubs the back of his neck, just under the edge of the helmet, "-It says he's not in this dimension." Mumbo blinks, looks away from Xisuma as if that will help him process those words.

"What?" He asks, quietly.

"It usually means he's in the Nether, or the End. But I checked both of those and I got the same message. I don't understand it." He finally lowers his visor, and Mumbo can see the confusion on his face. Confusion and, what's probably worse, fear.

"So what you're telling me is Grian's... Actually _missing_?" Xisuma nods. He's looking at the ground like it could provide answers. Honestly, it's the first time Mumbo's seen Xisuma face a question he couldn't answer. If it wasn't about his friend, it could be funny. "What can we do, then?" He asks, instead.

"I'm going to check where he last was. See if there's any clues. I don't know, I didn't expect this. This hasn't happened before." He's still tense, won't look up at him. Mumbo equips his armour.

"Where we headed?" He asks, pulling his sword and fireworks out of his inventory.

"This is an admin issue, Mumbo, you shouldn't-" Xisuma looks up at the expression on Mumbo's face and sighs. "I can't change your mind, can I?"

Mumbo raises his fireworks. Xisuma laughs, however tired it sounds, and equips his own.

* * *

Mumbo's always thought he should get some kind of eye protection for flying. It's hard to look forward when the wind is like a typhoon straight into his eyes. He listens to the fireworks Xisuma sets off, the beat of his elytra. When his eyes stop stinging, he chances a look up again, to check he's still there. Xisuma flies determinedly, but careful. Mumbo's grateful that he doesn't take sudden corners or drops. Xisuma is giving him some directions over the comms. His helmet blocks out the wind noise, unlike Mumbo's open face. His mustache doesn't exactly work as a wind shield.

They've gone past the land Mumbo is familiar with. Here is untouched, no houses or structures that are typical of the other Hermits. It's entirely new land. Mumbo never has been one for adventures. He's not the most adept at survival, and fighting isn't really his thing. Adventuring as a whole is something he likes within reason.

"We're landing here," Xisuma says, through the crackle of the earpiece. Mumbo hums an affirmative, watching as Xisuma begins dropping in front of him. Mumbo takes a deep breath, starts circling to land. Below is a small clearing beside a mountain, and he manages to stumble onto his feet. It's so easy to forget how legs work after flying so long. His elytra must be near breaking.

Xisuma is there to steady him, a firm hand on his shoulder. Mumbo turns to thank him, but Xisuma is looking past him. Up, towards the cliff face. Mumbo frowns, turns as well. And _oh_.

There's an entrance up there. Marked by light, reddish brown pillars that Mumbo doesn't recognise. He can't put a name to the block. It's the wrong shade for quartz. Muddy, even. There's a brown brick styled block below it, split into quarters. He can see the hint of gold on one of them. It's like nothing he's ever seen before.

Xisuma steps forward, looking up towards it. The entrance is only as big as a doorway. It would be a nightmare to fly into with an elytra. Xisuma turns toward Mumbo, putting his sword on his belt.

"Do you mind if I-?" Mumbo shakes his head.

"Go for it." He gestures towards the entrance. Xisuma nods, sitting himself down. Hacking into the mainframe twice in a few hours. This really has been a weird day.

Whilst Xisuma admins whatever he's admining, Mumbo looks around. This was Grian's last known location. The architecture at the entrance doesn't look like something he'd do. And that's ignoring the new blocks. Perhaps it's part of an update? Something they've never seen before, hidden in the unloaded chunks. Mumbo looks up toward it, stepping towards the cliff. He tries not to block Xisuma's view.

Did Grian make this? He doesn't see Grian as the kind of person who would find something cool and not tell any of them about it. Where would Grian have got these blocks from? Given the size of the entrance, it's probably something only Grian could fly into without getting hurt.

"Everytime I think I understand, this gets more confusing." Xisuma sits back, supporting himself on his hands. He clicks his visor down, still staring up towards the entrance.

"What is it?" Mumbo asks, walking back to his side. He offers a hand, and Xisuma takes it, pulling himself up to his feet.

"I'm not sure. I don't recognise these blocks," He says, "I'd say maybe it's part of an update but... These chunks have been loaded before."

"Well, yeah, isn't this where Grian was?"

Xisuma shakes his head, "No, these were generated before that. Before we even came to this world." Mumbo turns to him in shock.

"No, no, no. What? How?" Xisuma gestures open palmed towards the entrance.

"The only thing I can think of is Grian."

"Grian?" Mumbo repeats. Xisuma nods. He takes out some blocks, striding towards the wall.

"When we got here, who was here already?" Xisuma asks, turning to Mumbo. Mumbo wishes he didn't know the answer.

"You think Grian did this?"

"He at least knew about it," Xisuma says, "He's the only person who could've been here before." Mumbo shakes his head. This is all a bit much.

Xisuma has began to make a staircase up. It's rudimentary, but it's easier than flying in. When Mumbo realises he's not stopping, he does a white person jog, climbing up behind him. Xisuma stops at the top. Mumbo tries to look around him into the entrance.

"Is that a-"

"I think so."

They both stare into the swirling blue.

What have they gotten themselves into?


	2. portals & planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exhaustion and planning set in. Well, it's mostly throwing things in boxes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm currently on holiday, so don't expect all updates to be this frequent! but i finished this chapter up and wanted to post it. there's some parts i'm not completely happy with, and some i really like! see what you think.

Xisuma waves his hand through the portal.

"Don't do that!" Mumbo calls, reaching for him.

"It's like a Nether Portal. I'd need to stand in it."

"Still!" He's felt uncomfortable since coming into this room. It's square, with a domed roof. The same, unfamiliar pillars line the walls. The portal stands at the end of it, facing the small corridor to the entrance. The repeated brown bricks aren't very pretty, even by Mumbo's standard. It feels like they don't belong here. Even their ordinary torches look out of place.

He's terrified at the thought of Xisuma vanishing through that portal. They have no idea what's on the other side. Whatever it is, Grian hasn't come back. What does he do if Xisuma gets too close? Go after him? Try and get the other Hermits?

He knows he'd just jump in after him, of course. He'd rather damn himself than let anything happen to Xisuma.

"This has to be where Grian went," Mumbo says, trying to fill the silence and end that chain of thought. Xisuma nods. He's running his hands over the portal frame, feeling every bump and groove. His visor is back up, faint screens scrolling through information that his eyes flick to every so often.

"The portal frame is just... glowstone," He observes. He goes to put his hand through it again, but this time Mumbo steps forward and drags him back.

"Xisuma!" He scolds, wishing he didn't sound so scared instead of angry. Xisuma blinks at him, then his posture relaxes. His hands rest by his sides.

"Okay. I'll stop touching it." Xisuma watches him with a gentle gaze. He must be a right picture of fear to be getting that look. But Xisuma steps away from the portal, and that's all Mumbo cares about. The only thing more terrifying than this whole situation would be him, on his own, making hard decisions in this whole situation.

"Any ideas on this at all?" Mumbo asks. He's taken in as much as he can from this small room. It's all muddy brown. Some of the bricks have glowing, golden markings, coupled with dark, etched brown ones. It feels horrifically eerie, and his only guess is that Grian is through that portal. Which, frankly, makes things worse.

"These blocks don't have IDs. Not ones I recognise," Xisuma says, pointing to the brown bricks and the pillars. It confirms he's been looking through data, at least. "And the portal feels different from the others, right? It feels warm. Like... Stepping out onto a beach on a nice day." Mumbo resists the temptation to put his own hand through it to test.

The feeling of portals usually represent what's on the other side. The Nether portal is scalding. It feels like stepping on a magma block, or into hot water before you adjust. Coming out the other side is no better. It's humid and uncomfortable, nearly claustrophobic. The Nether Hub blocks most of it out, at least. Mumbo tries not to spend more time there than he needs to, either way.

Whereas the End Portal feels exactly like the End and the void below it.

Numbingly cold.

"And you didn't see another dimension when you looked for him, yeah?"

Xisuma shakes his head, "I checked. I could always look ag-" Mumbo holds his hand up, stops him before he sits down.

"If you do any more you're going to pass out. I trust past you." Xisuma looks briefly surprised, arms held out still ready to sit. Then he shakes his head, standing straight and crossing his arms.

"I guess I'm more tired than I realised," He admits, quieter now. In the setting sun, he's beginning to show some of that exhaustion. He hasn't retracted his visor, and the coloured sheen makes him look a bit unwell. The rush from whatever this is must be wearing off. Maybe Mumbo shouldn't have pointed it out.

He looks down the corridor, spotting the sun disappear over the horizon. They should be able to fly back, as long as they stay high enough mobs won't reach them. As much as he wants to find Grian, this goes deeper than that. This is a server problem, and Mumbo prides himself on knowing when to take a step back.

"Let's go home. Sleep on it," He says, trying to imply it's more of an order. He turns as Xisuma stands beside him. The golden light bounces off his visor and armour.

He offers up a tired smile, "I could do with that."

* * *

They fly back slowly. Xisuma is more sluggish, reaction times a bit slow. Mumbo finds himself trying to spot him. He gets images of Xisuma passing out, dropping from the sky. It keeps him awake for the journey. The moon lights the sky in front of them with its familiar white.

As they approach the shopping district, Mumbo takes a moment to appreciate how it looks in the night. The warm glow of their lights mark out the pathways and buildings. He loves how messy the shopping district is. It's busy, unstructured, filled to the brim with weird things trying to grab your attention. After the day he's had, he loves how it feels like home.

"Landing." Mumbo perks up at Xisuma's voice. It sounded rough. Mumbo dives after him, elytra spreading wide as he slows himself to land. He runs forward a few steps, feet kicking up gravel until he can stand straight. He didn't quite manage to stick that landing. His feet are sore as he adjusts. He raises a hand to his hair. It's nearly gone solid after that flight. He ruffles it, trying to fluff it out.

Xisuma crashes beside him.

Mumbo startles, brain forcing him to kick into gear again. He drops to a crouch and tries to help the admin sit up. Xisuma's happy enough being lifted. Leaning against Mumbo, he drags his helmet off, shakes out messy curls.

"That was rough." His voice sounds weak, but there's an amused lift to it. Mumbo laughs out of sheer relief.

"I thought you said we were landing!" He cries. He shuffles his legs and drops completely onto the ground. It doesn't seem like Xisuma is planning to move soon.

"Landing? Oh, no, I meant crashing." Xisuma looks up at him, one hand brushing his hair out of his face. He's smiling, but he looks absolutely beat. He tries to sit on his own but ends up back on Mumbo's side as quickly as the attempt starts.

"What are we going to do with you?" Mumbo teases, shaking his head. Xisuma laughs gently, doesn't try and move again. Deciding he's not going to manage an exhausted and kind of giddy Xisuma himself, Mumbo opens his communicator and starts typing.

Xisuma manages to start a reply when he stops laughing, "I don't know, deal with all the lighting glitches, items vanishing, never updating-"

"Hey! I thought I saw _something_ fall out of the sky." Mumbo discards his half typed message as Scar strides towards them. Jellie trots ahead, meowing as she reaches the grounded pair. She purrs, rubbing against their sides. Xisuma lifts a hand to pet her. "Could've arrested you for being aliens." Scar comes to a stop, hands on his hips.

"Unfortunately, it's just us," Mumbo says, waving his free arm. Scar laughs and gently plucks Jellie up, setting her aside.

"I can see that. Did X forget his limits again?"

"I know my-"

"What does it look like?" Xisuma huffs at bring ignored, picks up his helmet with loose fingers.

"Help me to a bed. I need to sleep this off."

Scar laughs, "What a revolutionary concept. Sleeping away your exhaustion. Never could've thought up that one." Mumbo laughs too, and things feel a little bit more normal.

Xisuma is asleep before they make it to a bed. The privilege of carrying him goes to Mumbo. He piggybacks him, Xisuma's arms loose around him and his head on his shoulder. Scar carries his helmet. When Jellie gets tired, he lets her ride in it. Mumbo can't help but laugh slightly, adjust Xisuma to be more comfortable. He hopes X doesn't notice the cat hairs in it later, or they'll both get it.

They chatter idly as they walk. Scar was out here restocking Cherry. He guesses the increase in demand is all the people making minigames. Which leads to a discussion about Hermitland. A lot has happened on the server whilst Mumbo looked for Grian, apparently. He regrets that it might be awhile until he gets time to explore. The creativity of the other Hermits never fails to amaze him.

Only once Xisuma is in bed, does Scar pose the question, "So what have you two been doing all day?" He's looking at Xisuma, who didn't even stir as they tucked him in. A few rushed stories go through Mumbo's head before he remembers he's an awful liar.

"Looking for Grian," He replies. He finds a crafting table, perches on top of it. Scar follows suit, Jellie curling up in his lap. "X was trying to track him down for me." Scar leans back, propping himself up with the hand not fussing Jellie.

"And you didn't find him?" Ah. Mumbo realises now how weird that is. An admin should be able to find people, shouldn't they?

"No, we, uh, didn't." Mumbo shrinks into himself. Scar's brows draw together as he looks between Xisuma and Mumbo. His fingers even still in Jellie's fur, until he starts scratching her again gently. Jellie leans her head back into the touch, oblivious to the conversation happening around her.

"So Grian is actually missing? Jeez, no wonder Xisuma's so tired." Scar is still watching over the hermit as he sleeps. His face is slack, peaceful looking, and Mumbo smiles very slightly at that sight. "It's been a long time since I've seen him this bad."

"A lot happened," Mumbo admits, "I think he was still running checks and stuff in the background for... Maybe an hour? It's probably best he's asleep." He can't imagine the headache he must've been developing. Thinking on it, Mumbo can only imagine how much further Xisuma would've tried to push if he could've. With this discovery it's going to be... They'll see when Xisuma wakes up.

"What did you find, then?" Scar is watching him with a tilted head. Mumbo preferred when those piercing eyes were on Xisuma. Scar's perfected that stare too well.

"You'll take this seriously, right? Don't go telling the server or making this into an alien thing? Xisuma's going to be stressed enough already." Scar nods. His expression takes on a more serious air.

"You have my word." Scar is good for that, at least. He understands when situations need a more serious hand. The same way Mumbo does. Sometimes you have to leave games and jokes behind for a little while.

So Mumbo explains. He explains how Grian is apparently in a dimension that isn't the End, Nether, or here. He explains the strange blocks they don't recognise, even their IDs. Then he explains the portal of glowstone that held a swirling blue the same colour as the oceans. The portal that was here before even they were.

"So he must be through that portal."

"You sound surprisingly calm about this," Mumbo replies, leaning forward onto his legs and propping up his head with a hand.

"I'm concerned, but it sounds interesting. Like, what's on the other side? Are we going to set foot in a whole new dimension?"

"I wouldn't say _we _yet," Mumbo points out. Scar gives him a pointed look.

"I am absolutely going. To explore and because I know otherwise, this idiot-" He nods towards Xisuma, "-Would try and go on his own in the interests of _our_ safety as if _he's_ invincible."

"You know what Scar?" Mumbo smiles at him, realising how little he's seen of him this season, "You're a really good friend." Scar's mouth opens slightly, looking at Mumbo for a long few seconds before he smiles back.

"So are you. Look at what you've done to help Grian." Mumbo guesses Scar has a point there as well. Xisuma would have to fight to keep him away from the portal. He can put his projects on hold. His friend is more important than villagers or two hundred diamonds. He doesn't care much about what's on the other side. He wants to know Grian's safe. He wants his friend back.

"We're both good friends, then," Mumbo decides. Scar nods.

"I'll take that."

* * *

Xisuma doesn't wake the next day. Mumbo and Scar look after him. Scar takes the job of battling off the other Hermits' enquiries because, 'No offence, MumboJumbolio, but you're a terrible fib.' Mumbo doesn't even try to argue. He sleeps through most of the morning anyway, wakes in time to get Scar something for lunch.

Then he practices another of his many talents, working himself into a panic.

How else is he supposed to react to this situation? He wishes he could be like Scar and see the possible adventure in it. But he only sees danger and his own worry for Grian. It's been two weeks. Far too much can happen in two weeks, and that's just in _this_ dimension. He couldn't imagine spending two weeks in somewhere like the Nether.

(The End is a different matter. End busting is a long process, and it's impossible to follow the passage of time. The sky never moves, the islands all look the same. You have to travel further and further every time, and the only tell is how cold you feel. It's a cold even Cleo feels, and no amount of layers work. They leave when they can't bear it anymore, staring up at the endless void of stars and wondering if any point north.)

He has to hope Grian's okay, wherever he is. If Xisuma could tell he was hurt, Mumbo's sure he would've pushed through the exhaustion anyway. Mumbo remembers Xisuma collapsing as his body refused to keep him up any longer. Usually before an update, or preparing for a world move. He'd prefer Xisuma had a good rest and thought about this logically. Because Mumbo's already panicking, and someone will have to.

He swaps with Scar mid-afternoon. They eat lunch together first, and brainstorm all the things they'd want if they went to another dimension for the first time. Scar has a book open, writing things down as quickly as they're coming up them. His plan is to collect supplies, so they're ready to go by the time Xisuma wakes up. They have enough farms and shops, and having one of the richest Hermits on the server as an ally is a big help. When Scar finishes eating, he heads off, and Mumbo is left to watch Xisuma.

He hasn't moved an inch. His hair is shielding his eyes, hiding them from view. But his expression is gentle, mouth slightly open. He looks perfectly soft, despite the scar with all its harsh edges. Mumbo picks up a book on redstone he's probably read before and settles in.

Xisuma doesn't move again until tomorrow morning.

By that time, Scar has returned with supplies. There's enough for more than three people, because the likelihood of only them going once the other Hermits hear is very low. Scar only makes one joke about Mumbo paying for it, and Mumbo throws a book at him. All company based rivalries aside, Scar is a really nice person to have helping. It kind of makes Mumbo glad he couldn't lie to him.

Xisuma wakes with a loud groan. He rolls onto his back, rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands. Scar is there quickly, helping him sit up and offering water. Xisuma takes it, drinking it down greedily. He slumps against the bed, closing his eyes as Scar crouches beside him to take the empty container.

"How long was I out?" He asks, slightly opening his eyes and looking at both of them. One of his hands reaches for the side, and Scar automatically gives him his helmet. Xisuma smiles gratefully at him.

"A day," Mumbo replies, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I slept for a day." He pushes his hair back before pulling his helmet on over it. Then he sits up, eyes wide as he throws the covers back. "Oh- Oh I need to-" Mumbo gently sits him down.

"We've been preparing," Mumbo tells him. Scar places down the collection of shulker boxes, clasping his hands together enthusiastically.

"Whilst you were playing sleeping beauty I gathered everything we should need for a trip to a new dimension." Scar pats the corner of a box proudly. Xisuma shuffles to the edge of the bed, begins searching through them. Then he pauses, looks up at Scar with a squinted face.

"How- how do you know?" Xisuma points at him, looking between Scar and Mumbo with confusion they can see through the mask. Mumbo decides the best place to look is the floor.

"I- uh- you know how I'm not the best at lying?" Mumbo asks. He can just about see Xisuma's shoulders droop as he sighs, placing a hand on his mask.

"Who else knows?"

"Only me," Scar replies, "We've kept it quiet from the rest of the server. We have the resources. And if you think I'm not coming then you're wrong." Xisuma laughs, placing his hand on a box, stroking across the surface.

"I thought that might be the catch."

"I'm coming too," Mumbo adds, raising his hand.

"Right. Okay. I kind of assumed that." Xisuma takes a deep breath, "How many supplies do we have?"

Scar shrugs, looking at the boxes, "Enough for a pretty big rescue posse." Mumbo is pretty sure of that. He knows Scar has more boxes he's not put down. If worse came to worse, they could probably create a new civilisation with all the stuff he's pulled together. Xisuma stands, his communicator screen reflected in his helmet.

"Well. I guess it's time to call a meeting." He begins typing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time, i have to decide who i can write well enough to make up the main posse. wish me luck. 
> 
> my mineblr is [ here](https://justletmeplayminecraft.tumblr.com/)! come talk to me about hermits, this story, requests, minecraft, idk!


	3. almost team work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A meeting is held and an expedition team is decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: hm so i can't write a lot of the hermits well yet since i haven't watched many of them  
me: wow let's do a meeting with them all
> 
> this chapter is kinda self indulgent ngl. we'll get into the action next time. i'm not tagging all the hermits because that would take so Long on my phone, but i will when they become more relevant. i hope you enjoy!!

Xisuma hasn't stopped pacing. Mumbo watches him, whilst Scar builds up a large table for the meeting. He's counted all the supplies Scar collected twice, and Mumbo really wouldn't be surprised if he goes for a third sweep. The anxiety is suffocating between the two of them. Mumbo watches him fidget with his helmet, adjusting it without moving it at all.

Scar jumps off the newly built table, elytra fluttering. Xisuma stops pacing to look at him.

"All done." Scar wipes his hands of the last wool strands. Mumbo steps forward, admiring the build.

It's a neat looking table. He's gone for an outdoorsy, picnic look, on a patch of grass outside the shopping district. A large woollen umbrella casts a shadow over it, so the glowstone creates a soft, warm lighting. He's even used carpet on the top of the table like a picnic blanket. It looks gentle. Like they're simply having fun together instead of a meeting about something that is looking to be much bigger than them. Mumbo thinks it's exactly what they need.

"It looks really good, Scar," Xisuma says, walking over to perch on the edge of a seat. Scar places his hands on his hips, taking a further step back.

"It does! That was fun to do." From the blinding grin Scar is giving them, Mumbo doesn't doubt it. He's glad at least one of them isn't riddled with worry. Mumbo takes one of the seats, and tries to find something to distract him as he waits.

He doesn't understand why Xisuma scheduled this meeting so far away. He's not sure Xisuma does, either. He's sitting on a chair properly now at least. Well, not properly. He has his feet up on the seat, legs pulled up to his chest. It's better than his awkward half on, half off, but not by much. Scar lets Jellie examine the table, completely ignoring the nervousness that hangs heavy around them.

"Have you considered who'll care for Jellie?" Xisuma asks. His voice sounds far louder than it should to Mumbo's frayed nerves. He's used to the noise of his farms. Ticks and whirs and pistons and not _silence._

"I think I'll ask Cub," Scar replies, stroking down Jellie's back. She walks under the touch, circling around for more. "He's been pretty busy with Concorp stuff, so I'm assuming he'll stay. If not then I guess I'll just figure it out." He leans forward, rubs his nose in her fur.

"Just not Stress?" Xisuma asks, with a hint of a smile under his helmet.

Scar laughs, perching his head on her back, "She's lost Jellie privileges."

"I still haven't fed my chicken," Mumbo murmurs. It's all he thinks when he hears about Stress. Fedora and ice.

"Mine still needs a cat." Xisuma glances between them both.

"I feel like those chickens count as emotional blackmail." Scar shares a look with Mumbo. Mumbo tries to count how long it's been since he's remembered to feed his.

"In that case, I'm not a very emotional person."

"Maybe we can get a pet service for them whilst we're away?" Xisuma laughs at them, allows one leg to drop to the floor. He rests his arm on his other knee, leaning forward onto it. Mumbo has no idea if that position is comfortable and he _really_ wants to try it himself and find out.

Their first arrival is the bundle of joy that is Keralis. It's enough to excite Mumbo and Xisuma, getting to see their old friend again. It's been a long time, and it's good to see him looking so well. Especially when he explains he left super early because he had to walk and he wasn't sure how long it would take and he didn't want to be late to his first meeting. Xisuma wraps him up in a hug, simply telling him it's good to have him back.

The other hermits trickle in closer to midday. The table begins filling up, loud and beautifully boisterous in a way only the hermits can be. It's a good job they're the only ones in this world, because the noise they make could probably be heard from Hermitville. At least, he hopes they're the only people in this world. The Grian situation is making him doubt that.

Joe is the last one to arrive, his hands still covered in the dust of his latest project. A rollercoaster, if Scar is to be believed. Mumbo's pretty excited to see it, less excited to go on it.

In lieu of a greeting, Joe takes his seat whilst announcing, "I have gathered you all here today."

Doc sighs, barely audible above the giggles and groans, "One day, will you sit down like a normal person?"

"I mean -" Impulse leans forward in his seat, half a pork chop still in his hand, "- You've got to consider yourself before saying that." Doc raises his eyebrows.

"Oh, we're bringing robotism to the table?"

"I object to that." Iskall raises his hand. His eye glints where it catches fleeting beams of sunlight.

Cleo stands, placing her palms flat against the table as she leans towards Impulse, "You got something against the undead too, hey?" She acts angry nearly perfectly, if not for the obvious smirk on her face. And the fact Iskall starts giggling behind his hand.

"You lot are awful to me." Impulse puts his feet up. "I do so much for the server economy and this is the thanks I get?"

"Technically, you're part of the capitalism that drives the entropic nature of our society," Joe says as he places his hands in his lap.

False groans, "X, please start this meeting. It's too early for this."

"It's midday!" Stress exclaims, raising her hands up at the bright blue sky outside the umbrella.

"As someone who lives mostly underground, it's early." TFC is sat up straight, arms crossed in his seat. Xisuma sighs, standing before it can get anymore out of hand. The banter before these meetings is normal, but it can go on forever if nobody stops it. This will be no exception.

"Okay, guys, less squabbling. Let the meeting begin."

He ignores how Doc leans to Scar, whispers, "Daddy's talking." He also ignores the giggling that comes after, continuing as if they aren't even there.

"So, you'll notice, we have someone new at the table." Xisuma gestures toward Keralis, who waves and smiles sweetly.

"Hi!"

"He's new to this world, but an old member of the hermits, and it's really exciting to have him back here with us. We've missed you, buddy." Keralis is bouncing in his seat, playing with a totem of undying he has wrapped up in his hands.

"I'm excited to be back!" He says. "Please don't put me in jail again." Cub laughs quietly, whilst Doc and Scar smile.

"Hey, we let you go, man," Doc points out, shrugging. He's slouched in his chair, legs crossed. Mumbo can't see any guilt on him. "Can't be too sure nowadays."

"You killed me!"

"That was setting you free!" Scar tells him.

"You guys have a really weird definition of free," Zedaph points out. He's looking warily between them both. He's even shuffled away on his seat. Doc and Scar turn their stares onto him, and Mumbo's never seen a more accurate depiction of predators coming in for the slaughter. Zedaph curls back against the seat.

"We could always show you our facilities, if you'd like?" Scar suggests. "I'm sure you'll be a threat to the server eventually."

Zedaph shakes his head quickly, "No. I would not like." Xisuma claps, bringing attention back to him before they drift too far. One of Mumbo's favourite games in meetings is to count how often things derail. He wishes he wasn't so nervous. He can't even concentrate enough to play it.

"Can you two please not unlawfully contain anyone else?" Xisuma asks, some of his tiredness slipping through when he can't keep up the joking tone. He tries to pull it back with, "The last thing this server needs is another trial."

"I don't know -" Cleo looks away from where she's reworking her seaweed equivalent of a flower crown, "- I think it would fit pretty well in the pirate theme." She smiles with too many teeth. "I could build a proper plank."

"You can do that without a trial," Ren reminds her, head propped up on one hand.

"It's more fun when you have someone to walk it." She looks at Joe, who puts his hands up in mock surrender.

"No way. That's not gonna be me."

"I second Joe walking the plank!" False calls, sitting up as she raises her hand.

"It would be kinda funny," Python adds. Joe scowls at them.

"Absolutely not. I'm not a toy for your amusement. I have hopes and dreams like the rest of you."

"Your hopes and dreams are going to be surviving when you walk off my newly built murder plank."

"No!"

Scar kicks the bell he hid behind his chair and the conversation thankfully ends there. For now, at least. Mumbo realises they must be getting close to the Grian problem. His throat doesn't want to make words. It's closed up as his stomach ties itself in a sophisticated knot it can't seem to get right. He fiddles with his hands under the table, wishing he had something redstone to mess with. Even if it was just a repeater he could move into different slots. He hates having empty hands and a crowded mind.

"Moving on to why I called this meeting, you'll notice there's also someone missing." Xisuma looks around the table. Scar didn't leave an extra seat for him. That would just be cruel. But his missing presence can be felt nonetheless. He's only been here for one world and they're all already so used to him. Mumbo didn't even realise how much Grian was a part of his experience until he was gone.

"Is Grian still missing?" Iskall asks, and he looks at Mumbo. Mumbo looks down at the table and tries to pretend his stomach doesn't drop at the worry on his face.

"I'm beginning to miss that little terror," Doc admits, "And I never thought I'd say that."

"It's been awhile now, hasn't it?" Stress says, her hand gently touching her chin.

"Do you have any news?" Ren asks, hopefulness shining in his eyes. Xisuma breaks eye contact, focuses on a spot on the table, head only half lifted. Mumbo wishes he could offer comfort of some kind without it being too obvious.

"I have news," He says. The table sits forward slightly. With a deep breath, he straightens up, squaring his shoulders. "But it's not good or bad, and could have a big effect on this world. We've potentially uncovered a new dimension."

The table falls completely silent. A few of the hermits share confused looks.

"The portal we've found was loaded before we arrived in this world. It was also Grian's last known location." There's a drawn out silence until the table bursts into noise and movement.

"What do you mean _before we came_?"

"A new dimension?"

"Grian's through that portal?"

"Is it dangerous?"

"Xisuma," TFC speaks up, voice firmer than the shocked questions. The other hermits fall quiet. "I assume, as the admin, you have a plan of some kind?" Xisuma looks at him like a deer in the headlights for a long second before he shakes it off, manages to focus.

"Scar and Mumbo have kindly collected supplies for a reconnaissance expedition into the portal. This way we can see what the dimension holds and hopefully find Grian. Mumbo and Scar have volunteered to be part of this, and I'll be going as part of my duty." Xisuma speaks calmly, hands moving as he talks. For once, nobody interrupts him. He looks like the leader he is.

"When he says volunteered, it's more like we forced ourselves on him," Scar says, giving Mumbo a smile. Mumbo tries to smile back. "And we want to ask if anybody else wants to join us." Xisuma nods his agreement. He turns to the table, gesturing to Wels, who has his hand up.

"So nobody's been in this dimension before?" Wels asks, his voice soft.

Xisuma nods, "I have no idea what's on the other side. The blocks we saw around the portal don't give any clues what it could be like. But they're nothing I've seen before." A few of the hermits share looks, leaning on the table. There's a variety of expressions Mumbo can make out. Confusion, concern, curiosity.

"I think it sounds cool." Cleo speaks up first, gesturing with an open palm. "I mean, how often do you get to say you've been to a new dimension? And we can't just leave Grian there." Iskall nods next, and once again looks at Mumbo.

"You're going?" He asks. Mumbo nods, so Iskall turns to Xisuma. "I'd like to go, then. We're the Architechs. I want to get our missing member back." He turns back to Mumbo with a smile. "And it wouldn't really be fair to work on my villager trading centre when my competitor can't."

"Iskall, Cleo, does that mean you want to go?" Xisuma asks. He gets two firm nods in return, both of them sharing a grin. Xisuma gives them a relieved smile.

"I- um, I'd love to help but -" Keralis ducks his head down a little, "- I'm still trying to get established here, nevermind a whole new dimension."

"I'd like to finish my race track, but I'll go if you send another group."

"I mean, someone has to manage Area 77, right?"

"I've got to look after the chickens these two are abandoning."

There's a variety of other reasons, all that Mumbo understands. The other Hermits have a lot they've been working on. He knows he hates leaving his work unfinished. But a lot of them offer to help elsewhere. Wels offers to build protection around the portal, Impulse offers the use of his farms for resources, TFC says he'll manage the world whilst they're gone. Everyone is willing to contribute somewhere, and it gives Mumbo hope they're going to do this.

"I'll go," False says, interrupting the previous discussion. "I mean, don't get me wrong, you guys are great, but I feel like you need more manpower."

"Aren't you still building that... Town of yours?" Scar asks. She shrugs, pushes a strand of hair back under her goggles strap.

"The town can wait. Grian might not be able to." Mumbo smiles at that. Grian has made a real impact on the server. He wishes he was here to see it. Xisuma turns to Scar.

"Do we have enough for a team of six?" He asks. Like he hasn't looked so many times himself.

Scar nods, "Yeah, we have enough."

"I can work on getting some stuff together for any future groups," Cub suggests. "Getting Grian is a priority, sure, but if you think we're all going to stay out this forever, you're going to be surprised."

"I know I can't keep you out," Xisuma replies, "But I can at least find out how safe it is first." The hermits nod their agreements, faces brightening. Once they know Grian is safe, this could be fun. It could add a whole new adventure into this world, with new projects and possibilities and things to do.

"It'll be like Season 6.5!" Stress exclaims, her smile widening. "Oh, that'll be exciting!"

"Imagine all the farms we could make," Impulse says.

"Or the new building materials," Zedaph adds. There's a thrum of excitement around the table, all of them thinking of what this news could bring.

"First," Xisuma says, calling them to attention, "We find Grian." The agreement sounds out around the table. "I want to set out as soon as possible, but I understand some of you may have things to finish up before we go. Please let me know anything you need by the end of today." Mumbo doesn't think there's anything he needs to do. Without anyone nearby, the chunks of his base will probably be inactive whilst he's away.

The meeting is dismissed, but most of the hermits stick around, chatting and catching up. These meetings are one of the rare times all the hermits are in the same place. A lot of them take the opportunity to have lunch together at the table, sharing around food and laughing. It's like a family get together, in a way. One of Mumbo's favourite times on the server are these meetings.

Xisuma calls those that are going to the new dimension to the side. Scar offers Mumbo a hand out of his seat, pulling him up.

"Jellie got your tongue?" He asks, the two taking their time to join the others. Mumbo makes an amused huff, too tied up for much else.

"Nervous, I guess." He looks back at the gathered group. They've settled in the shade of the umbrella. Stress is perched on the table, looking at something in Joe's hands with Ren. Zedaph is talking with Impulse, and Wels stands at the edge, helmet in his hands, listening. The others remaining have gathered around Keralis, talking and greeting the new-old hermit. Mumbo looks away, meeting Scar's gentle expression. "I don't know what to say."

Scar's smile is sympathetic, "We'll figure this out. You watch."

Xisuma is already talking with the others, and he gives half a wave as Scar and Mumbo approach. He doesn't stop talking, and the other two only acknowledge them with brief smiles. Mumbo and Scar fall in line.

"Our focus is going to be finding Grian. Once I'm in the dimension, I should be able to find his coordinates. But I want to make sure we're safe before I do that." They nod. "Bear in mind, we don't know what safe looks like, so I'll make that call."

"And once we have the coordinates, we'll go to them?" False asks, holding her hands behind her back. She's pushed most of her hair under her goggles strap, messily, but out of the way.

"That's the plan. No matter what happens, Grian remains priority."

"As he should," Iskall says, in a firm tone. Cleo nods, her hands half in the pockets of her shorts. She has a focused alertness in her eyes and a sturdy posture. Mumbo finds himself nodding too.

"And we need to record the coordinates of where we arrive, too," Xisuma says, "I'm hoping this is more like the Nether than the End. I don't want to be stuck there." Mumbo is hoping it is in more ways than just the portal, but that's beside the point.

"Do we assume the other dimensions rules apply?" False asks, "Stuff like respawning back here. Even beds, do we risk them?"

"I'd say be cautious. Until we know more about the dimension and know what effect dying could have." It's unlikely, but there's always the fear of death. Hopefully, they'll survive well enough they won't find that out. "After that, of course, I'm sure most people will want to abuse how the world works."

"I wonder if you travel in the same way," Scar says, "Could make an entirely new hub."

"That's getting ahead of ourselves," Xisuma replies, "Let's get in there first. Get Grian out." The 'try and understand why he's there and this exists' is heavy on Mumbo's mind. Why wouldn't he tell them about something like this? They'll find out, he guesses. He hopes.

"We've agreed tomorrow for finishing up projects. We'll take beds to the portal site and sleep there that night, and go in the morning. Is everyone okay with that?" They nod, with a few spoken agreements. Mumbo isn't sure what he'll do with the extra day. Maybe he'll ask if he can help one of the others. "Alright. Go chat. I'll see you tomorrow night."

Mumbo stays back with Scar as the other three rejoin the group, their loud voices joining the melody. Xisuma watches them go. Mumbo can't make out his expression through his helmet. After a few seconds, he turns back to them and smiles.

"Thank you for helping with this. Again," He says, so earnestly. Scar bumps his shoulder enthusiastically, with a much brighter smile.

"It's our pleasure. You don't have to deal with these things alone, you know?" Xisuma opens his mouth, before he closes it, sighing and finally dropping the leadership stance. Mumbo's surprised how much smaller he looks with such a simple thing.

"I'll get used to it," Xisuma replies.

"Hey, Xisuma?" Mumbo says, because he thinks he knows what to say now. "Thank you for this, too. I don't think we say it enough." Xisuma's eyes widen before his smile breaks out, and he ducks his head away.

"I'd say you're welcome, but I don't think you'll accept it."

Scar shakes his head, putting his arm around Xisuma's shoulders and pulling him down, "Nope! You're just going to have to get used to that as well." Xisuma laughs, accepting Scar's hold.

"I'll work on that too. No promises, though." Scar laughs with him.

"You do you, 'Suma. We're here either way." 

"Through Nether and unknown portals," Mumbo says, in a quiet voice.

"Through Nether, End, way too many worlds and unknown portals too," Scar agrees. Xisuma looks out over the hermit gathering. The smile Mumbo can see through the visor is so gentle and warm. 

"And I'd do the same for you guys," Xisuma tells them. And honestly, they all knew it anyway.


	4. achievement get: hostile paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team make it to the new dimension and not everything is as it seems. Nor does it seem everyone is welcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well we've established the rules of this universe.
> 
> let's throw a spanner in the works.

Mumbo wakes with the sunrise.

Its golden rays filter through the clouds ahead, breaking into the tent gradually. He raises an arm to block them out, rolling on his side towards where Iskall still sleeps. He snores gently. Mumbo pulls up the covers to hide from the sun, watching Iskall's chest rise and fall instead.

The campsite is only temporary. Scar and False put it up as the sun set, simple tents and a campfire to sit around. More for the looks, since they retired to their beds as soon as night fell. The other hermits will build around it while they're gone. Their spawns are set. There's no going back now.

From one of the other tents, he can hear movement, voices talking lowly. He thinks it's Xisuma and Scar. He can't make out what they're saying. In the distance, the wind blows through the trees, creatures moving through the forest. And he can hear the two women, he thinks, whispering in their tent with creaking beds. It seems as if him and Iskall are the only ones not getting ready.

Mumbo pushes himself up. The covers gather around his middle, creased from a restless night. He raises a hand to his hair, trying to run his fingers through the tangles. Their armour is ready for them at the edge of the tent. His lantern sits on the crafting table beside his chest. He yawns.

"Iskall?" Mumbo murmurs, reaching to poke him with his foot. Iskall doesn't stir. Mumbo sighs, nudging harder. "Iskall, wakey wakey."

"Mrn." Iskall rolls away from him and pulls the pillow over his head. Mumbo can see messy hair poking out of the top. He stands, using the fence posts in the middle of the tent as support. He presses down the creases in his clothes and reaches for his suit jacket. It slides on, and he begins to feel a bit more awake.

"It's time to get up," Mumbo says, approaching the bed. Iskall hasn't moved. It's his funeral. Mumbo gathers as much of Grian's energy as he can, and drags the covers off the bed. Iskall startles upright. His hands reach out for the cover that's no longer there.

"Mumbo!" He exclaims, voice incredulous. Mumbo laughs, holding the cover out of his reach.

"The others are already up! I don't want to be the last one!" Iskall wipes his eye, scowling behind his hand. Mumbo shakes his head at the sight, passing Iskall his jacket. Iskall snatches it, shrugging it on. With that accomplished, Mumbo grabs some food out of his chest, slipping on his shoes. He won't put the armour on until they're about to go. He's never been a big fan of it, but it's one of those necessities.

By the time Iskall is awake enough to stand, Mumbo can hear the others talking outside the tent. They head out together, stepping into the brightening daylight. The other four have settled in the small campsite. Cleo sits in front of False, cross-legged on the floor as False neatly plaits her hair. She's talking to Xisuma, something or another about drowned. They stop when the two emerge, smiling.

"Look who decided to wake up!" Cleo calls, waving enthusiastically. False tuts, places a hand on her shoulder to hold her still.

"I need to redo this now," She murmurs, not looking up from Cleo's waves. They bounce out when False lets go as if her hair is only just dry from a dip in the ocean. Mumbo doesn't understand how her hair is naturally like that. He spends just as much time around the sea as she does. Maybe he should simply be glad he doesn't deal with it.

"How'd you guys sleep?" Scar asks, propping himself up on the log with his arms. He's sat beside Xisuma, legs folded. Mumbo's never managed to work out if Scar's a morning or night person. Somehow, he wouldn't be surprised if the answer was both. The man's too talented for his own good.

"Like babies," Iskall says, dropping into the space next to Xisuma.

"Someone wouldn't get up," Mumbo says, taking the log a little further out. He can feel nerves fluttering at the edge of his stomach, waiting to catch light. They're actually doing this.

"Yeah! You could've put more effort in, Mumbo." Mumbo throws a golden carrot at him, knocking Iskall in the shoulder. He laughs, picking it up off the floor and dusting off the few grass particles.

"You're here now," Xisuma says, smiling at them through his visor. He's had it closed more often than not lately. "Nobody's having second thoughts?"

"Well, none of us mysteriously vanished during the night," Scar replies. Xisuma laughs, so gentle sounding. He's grabbing the edges of the log, hands unmoving. Looking carefully, Mumbo can see how they dig in.

"That's true. I just want you all to know I won't be angry or anything if you back out now. I get it." They share glances, shrugging and shaking their heads.

"You're stuck with us," False says, tying off Cleo's plait and leaning back. She looks proud, and Cleo's face brightens when she realises. She reaches a hand back, patting it with a look of shock.

"You did it!" She says, leaning her head a bit too far back to smile at her. False grins back, shaking the water off her hand.

"It only took a bucket to flatten it all," She teases. Cleo makes a face, then proceeds to flick the plait around excitedly.

"Oh, this is brilliant!" False watches her with that same smile, pulling her own hair over her shoulder and beginning to section it. Xisuma looks to the rest of them.

"Finish getting ready?"

Iskall downs a bowl of mushroom stew, "Absolutely!" He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Scar rolls his eyes, already standing and heading to the tent.

"Try not to be last this time!"

* * *

They aren't.

The others have seen the new blocks by now. They're only sat across the clearing from them. But they still pause to look. False runs her finger along the carving in the bricks like they'll help her decipher this mystery. She's watching her finger's every move. Mumbo's interested in how the golden ones reflect yellow light onto her skin.

When Cleo first makes contact with them, she grimaces.

"This is holy something, isn't it?" She asks, pulling her hand off the block. Xisuma turns to her, pausing a moment before nodding.

"Angelic stone," He says, with a hint of sympathy in his voice. She sighs, takes herself up the stairs.

"Everyone's so prejudiced against us undead," She murmurs, but the light tone and exaggerated eye roll suggest she's joking. Mumbo's not sure why, she's absolutely right.

The portal room only just accommodates them all. Iskall hangs back towards the corridor, whilst Xisuma steps forward. In a way, the portal seems like the opposite of the Nether. The blue and gold perfectly contrast the red and purple tones of that dimension. Mumbo thinks about warm days at the beach and takes a deep breath.

"Is everybody-"

"We're fine, X," Cleo interrupts him, "We're not backing down now."

Scar nods in agreement, "Let's get in there. We're wasting daylight." Xisuma looks closely at each of them until he seems satisfied. Turning to the portal, he rests his hand on the frame.

"Let's hope this goes well." Xisuma stares into the blue a little longer. Scar steps forward until his shoulder is touching Xisuma's.

"Same time, buddy." He nods at Xisuma, taking his hand. Xisuma nods back, squeezes. Scar pulls them both into the portal. They're gone almost instantly. There's no wait like the Nether. Mumbo was right to be so cautious before. If he were more in the mood, he'd bully Xisuma over it. At least a 'told you so'.

"Come on!" False calls, rushing to the portal. Not wanting to be left behind, the other three do too. It ends up with all four of them trying to enter the portal at once.

Mumbo is one of the last ones to get close enough. He presses his eyes shut as the blue-tinted blackness takes over his vision. Xisuma was right. The portal feels like lying outside on a summer morning. His head spins for seconds that drag on with every spin.

He opens his eyes again to chaos.

There's a solid arm across his chest, pulling him close against a warm body.

"Mumbo! Don't move!" Iskall calls, accent heavier with the panic in his voice. Mumbo looks to him, looking down, and realises what's happening.

The portal's spawned in the air.

He can just about see Xisuma making his way around the edge, placing blocks and expanding the platform on that side. But there really was just four glowstone blocks to support all six of them. Yikes. Iskall is holding him tightly, keeping him firmly planted on the block. Cleo's beside him, and she grabs hold of his other arm.

Through the crowd of panicking hermits, he can only see blue. The purple-tinted blue of enchanted armour, and the blue of the sky. White clouds, much closer than he's used to, hang in the air. If he looks closely, he's not sure they're all white. He can't tell against how blue that sky is.

Xisuma manages to get to them, and the hermits finally can spread out onto the cobblestone surrounding the portal. Mumbo's never heard of a portal spawning in the air before if he's honest. The End has a set spawn, and there's not much sky to talk of in the Nether. It's only when the other hermits step away (though Iskall still holds his side) he sees the new world fully.

It's like nothing he's ever seen before_._

Looking out over the expanse of space, he can see islands, floating in the blue sky. Beaches gather at their bases, around light grey stone and white clouds. They hang there in the sky, like mountains raised from the ground. The colours are different, the grass a pale green, dirt a similar grey to the stone. Trees dot the landscape. He thinks one of them has golden leaves, particles floating around it like snowflakes. There are even ores, glowing in the undersides of the island. On the islands, animals like he's never seen before wander.

"Guys," False says, her voice coming out on a breath. Above them a creature glides through the air, its low call echoing off the islands. The creature is a light blue, with golden markings around black eyes. Fins gently angle the large body as it moves without effort. It's bigger than any of them. Mumbo can tell his mouth is hanging open.

"Oh my gosh," Cleo whispers. None of them can stop watching until the creature disappears around an island. When Mumbo turns to the others, their eyes are as wide as his.

"That was..." Scar says, voice trailing off.

Iskall finishes it for him, "Beautiful."

Mumbo expected a lot of things from this dimension. He expected terror, danger, hostility. Something more like the dimensions they know. He didn't expect something that would take his breath away like this. That would leave him in absolute awe of how beautiful a place can be. It takes a second for them to kick back into action.

"We need to get onto more solid land," Xisuma says, pointing towards the largest island in front of them. It's a fair distance away, but they should be able to cross that gap. False takes out her rockets. She walks purposefully to the edge.

"Wish me luck, guys!" She gives them a carefree smile. Xisuma steps forward.

"False-" She jumps off the edge, elytra opening wide behind her. She drops for barely a second before the firework bursts, and she launches into the air with a gleeful laugh. Xisuma sighs, dropping the hand he reached towards her. He only relaxes when she's touched down on the island, watching her as she waves.

Scar pats his shoulder comfortingly. Then he runs forward, throwing himself off the platform and up into the air. Cleo follows, cheering loudly as she soars through the sky. Xisuma raises his hands to cover his visor.

"I should've come alone," He mutters, shaking his head. Iskall laughs, putting his arm around Xisuma's shoulders. Xisuma drops his hands to look at him.

"We'll be fine," He tells him, "And it's faster than building across, right?"

"I thought we agreed on no unnecessary risks," Xisuma replies, only slightly sarcastic in his tone. It's true. They can't let their guards down just because it looks pretty. But Iskall gestures above them, where Scar and Cleo are chasing each other around an island. They can hear their laughter carried on the air. The wind whips as they swoop under an overhang.

"They're having a good time," He says.

"We should probably get off this platform as well," Mumbo says, looking at where False has run to the edge to watch the two in flight, calling excitedly.

"Who knows what they'll get into without supervision," Iskall jokes. Truthfully, it's likely not much. They're not going to antagonise Xisuma like that. But it makes Xisuma smiles a little, though Mumbo is hit by a sudden feeling of wrongness from him. Xisuma looks thoroughly out of his comfort zone. Are they pushing him too far with just this?

"Did you get the coordinates?" Mumbo asks, to get that expression off Xisuma's face. His smile becomes a bit more real, eyes crinkling behind the visor.

"Yeah, I've got them," He replies, "I'll send you them when we're settled." Even now, though, there's something forced about him. After all this, he's still hiding his worries. Mumbo guesses it's a work in progress. He won't push.

"Let's go, then! Set up a base of operations," Iskall decides, taking out his own rockets. "We don't want to take any chances!" He gives Xisuma a teasing smile. Mumbo looks at the sun above them. It hangs in the air. Mid-afternoon. They don't want to find what comes out at night.

"I need to figure out where Grian is," Xisuma agrees in his roundabout way. Iskall bumps Mumbo's shoulder, holding up his rockets. Mumbo smiles, fondly annoyed, and gets them out at the same time as Xisuma.

"Let's go." He nods. The three of them take to the sky.

Flying feels different, in this dimension. He feels offbeat, like his rhythm is wrong. He flies slightly faster, propels slightly further. In the flight across, he finds he doesn't adjust completely. He stumbles into a landing, only kept upright by False, with her bright smile.

"Hey, you made it!" She says, helping pull Mumbo back onto his feet. Her eyes are sparkling, shoulders raised with excitement. It's infectious. Mumbo looks at the environment around him. It's different being in it. He can see the small flowers that dot the landscape. There's a gathering of bushes that have blue berries growing off them. Xisuma touches ground beside them, Iskall having already landed.

"This place is incredible," Iskall says, glancing at their surroundings. False nods, holding her hands together in front of her.

"I know! There's so much stuff here!" Already, Mumbo thinks there's more to this than the Nether or the End. The landscape is so much more alive here. He can't see any of the mobs, but he knows they're around. He wonders what they'll be like. If they're passive or dangerous. Concerningly, he's only slightly worried about that second option.

They turn at Cleo's excited call. It takes Mumbo a moment to notice her and Scar above them, half-sunken into a white cloud.

"Guys!" She cries, a smile taking over her face. She sits back and falls further into them, throwing her hands up. Scar jumps through, sinking back into the top of the cloud.

"Oh, what?!" Mumbo calls, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. False runs closer to get a better look.

"That's so cool!" She grins, bouncing on her heels. Part of her seems ready to fly over and join them there. Scar breaks part of the cloud, holding it in his hands. He turns it, looking at how his hands press into the sides, the block remaining untouched.

"It's called a Cold Aercloud," He tells them, standing and propelling himself to land. He walks to meet them. Cleo rolls around in it for a little longer before she flies back too.

"Does that mean there are different types?" Iskall asks, looking at the block in Scar's hands. Xisuma looks at it too, squinting and probably trying to run a scan. Cleo lands elegantly next to them, one hand in her pocket, and one pointing at a mountain.

"I think I saw a purple one over there," She says. "Didn't touch it though." Xisuma grimaces, shaking his head like he's shaking something off.

"It stops fall damage, I think." He holds his hand out, and Scar passes the block over. "Also you can make, parachutes?"

Mumbo looks around, "That could certainly be useful." False hums, scanning for the patches of cloud around the island.

"So they're solid. The clouds here are blocks," Iskall sums it up. They've all flown through the cloud layer of the overworld. Besides the whiteness inside, it's like they don't exist. There's nothing to hold or stop them.

"They're interesting, all right. The hitboxes are unusual." Xisuma looks at it with curiosity, but he does nothing more, gives it back to Scar. Scar throws it with one hand, catching it again.

"We should probably find somewhere for you to get those coordinates," He says, looking at the mountain behind them. Xisuma follows his eyes. It creates a large shadow, and all of them know that can be a bad thing. "Should we just make a cave and do it that way?"

"It'll work for now?" Cleo sounds unsure, turning to Xisuma for confirmation.

"I just need somewhere no enemies will spawn. We have building materials, we can collect what's here later."

With the agreement in place, they set to work. At least, they try to. Cleo digs a few blocks into the mountain before hissing, dropping what she's collected. False is by her side, looking at her reddened fingers as Iskall picks the blocks up. He frowns.

"Are you kidding me?" He asks, holding up the stack of blocks for them all to see. "It's called _Holystone._" Cleo huffs, stepping out of the cave. She tries to cross her arms, but False is still fretting over her, so she lets her see her hand.

"This place really has it out for me, huh?" Cleo says, drily. She's glaring at the wall with the venom of a spider. Mumbo winces in sympathy.

"We'll make sure there's none exposed," He tells her. She nods, placing a piece of wood down and sitting on it.

"Guess I'll just wait, then." Mumbo knows the harsh tone in her voice isn't their fault, but he can't help feeling a bit guilty. Cleo's been so enthusiastic about everything so far. She made the choice to come. The world should respect that and it should respect her.

Thankfully it doesn't take long to create the small room in the mountainside. They have to build carefully, all too aware of the nothing that could be beneath their feet. They find some of the glowing ore, too. It's yellow, similar to coal as Mumbo holds it in his hand. An ambrosium shard. He wonders if you can make a complete ambrosium with it. He enjoyed it glow for a while before putting it in his inventory and continuing.

The room itself is simple but sweet. A nice wooden floor, carpeted in the middle. Wooden walls have glowstone embedded in the sides for lighting (they brought a surplus, afraid of the portal breaking.) Scar creates a pattern with stairs and slabs, giving it more definition. At the back, there are extra rooms for sleeping. False even gathered some of the new flowers, stuck them in pots on some of the surfaces. It's a nice, cosy living space.

Cleo wandered off to explore, returning with the berries and bushes they saw earlier. Mumbo is there to greet her. Scar, Iskall and False are exploring the island, hoping to find some of the creatures they spotted from the platform. With three of them, they should be fine whether they're hostile or not. Xisuma is inside the shelter, working on Grian's coordinates.

"They don't fill you up much, but they could be easy to farm," Cleo tells him, showing him a berry. She's already replanted the bushes around their shelter. It's where she and Mumbo sit, on makeshift chairs outside the room. The door is open, but they can't hear Xisuma inside. Mumbo sits back against the wood, looking to the sky.

"The sun hasn't moved," He says, shielding his eyes. Cleo makes a small questioning noise, looking up as well. "It was afternoon when we came here. It's still afternoon now." The two sit together, looking up. They've been here awhile now. He's pretty sure of that. They don't know how long without a way to tell the time. It should be long enough for the sun to travel, making even for nightfall.

"You think time doesn't move here?" She asks, her hand brought up above her eyes.

"It would make sense. It doesn't in the other dimensions." Or there's no way of telling it. She frowns, purses her lips for a moment.

"It's weirder when you-"

There's a loud crack from inside, both of them jumping to their feet.

"X?" She calls, grabbing hold of Mumbo's wrist. They don't get a response. Mumbo's chest feels tight. He takes shallow breaths, watching the door. Cleo breathes out harshly, raising her sword in front of them. She heads to the door, letting go of Mumbo's wrist. He stays right behind her anyway, drawing his own weapon.

They step into the room and feel a blistering heat. It puts a red tint on Mumbo's vision. Part of his brain instinctively panics, afraid they've walked straight into lava. It's only Cleo's presence beside him, her skin cool where they touch, that stops him bolting from the room.

Xisuma is lying on his side across the floor, glass shards scattered around his head. His face is tilted towards the ground, but Mumbo can see his eyes are shut.

Above him-

Above him is a being that is held together by lava. It glows and pops, the only sound in the room besides their breathing. What looks like charred flesh makes a skeleton around the torso, flames burning where legs should be. Heavy looking black bands wrap around its wrists and where a waist should be. Red eyes glow brighter than its body, staring directly at them.

"Get away from him!" Cleo leaps forward, swinging her sword with unrestrained fury. The sword makes contact, diamond melting into nothing. Mumbo manages to hold her upright as she falls. She steps back with wide eyes, clutching the hilt of a now-gone sword.

"You were foolish to come here." The voice is booming, the skeleton cracking as its mouth moves. Mumbo keeps his hands on Cleo's shoulders. She's pressed back into them, still holding the hilt up like it could protect them. "Mortals shouldn't pretend to be Gods." The being looks down at Xisuma and Cleo stiffens under Mumbo's hands.

"Leave him alone!" She cries, shoulders shaking from anger. Mumbo wishes glares alone could hurt, if just for this moment. The being laughs. It's booming, echoing around the room with loud creaks that make Mumbo's stomach twist. Its skeleton looks like it can barely contain the sound, its lava bubbling dangerously. Mumbo breathes in deeply, the heat burning his throat.

A burst of fire shoots out, a small ball launching at them. Mumbo pushes them both out of the way, falling over Cleo onto the wooden floor. The heat is close enough to burn his suit. The ball hits the back of the room, shattering.

"Don't challenge me again." Cleo's fingers dig into her palms. "Consider this a warning." A tower of fire shoots from the ground. Mumbo covers his face from the scalding flame. When he lowers it, the being is gone. The air from outside is freezing.

"Xisuma!" Cleo stumbles half onto her feet, dropping at his side. Mumbo rushes there, kneeling down beside him. Cleo's hands are shaking, gently turning him. He's entirely limp, moving under her hands like a ragdoll.

"His helmet's shattered. We need to get it off," Mumbo murmurs. She nods, helps Mumbo remove it with fluttering fingers. Mumbo realises how badly his own hands are shaking when he brushes shards of glass from Xisuma's face. One is embedded in his cheek. Mumbo takes it out with his nails, wiping away the streak of blood that falls from it.

"I don't- He doesn't look injured." Cleo's words are tumbling over each other. Mumbo looks up at her, across X. "What did that thing do to him?"

"I don't know." He sits back, picks up the broken helmet. The visor is completely shattered. Small glass shards cling to the inside. When he pushes one, it snaps. He's kneeling in them, part of him realises. He's wearing armour, he'll be fine.

"Call the others back," Cleo says, "They might be in danger." She holds the back of her palm on his cheek, frowning. It doesn't look like he's in pain, at least. His expression is soft, as if he's simply asleep.

**[MumboJumbo] You guys need to get back here**

He turns his communicator screen off, listening to the beeps that begin coming through. They'll get the message, and he needs to conserve battery. He's not ready to explain this. Not when they know so little about what is happening. He looks out at the doorway, hoping he'll see them there. Instead, all he sees is the lonely sword handle, the blade mostly melted away. What _was_ that?

"Guys?" Xisuma's voice is quiet. Mumbo turns back to him immediately. Cleo rubs her thumb over his uninjured cheek tenderly. He blinks his eyes open slowly, squinting up at them.

"X," Cleo says, breathless, "X, what happened? Are you okay?" Xisuma frowns, brows drawing together.

"What hap-" His eyes widen. He sits up, wincing and holding his head. "He- I-" He grimaces, curling forward and pulling his arms in front of his face. Cleo looks at him sadly, rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you hurt? Can we help?" She asks, so gentle compared to the fury of earlier. Xisuma shakes his head, doesn't look at either of them.

"I'm not-" Mumbo can see his face scrunch up. Cleo rubs her hand in circles.

"It's okay," She encourages. Xisuma draws in a shaky breath. His face stays hidden away and he looks so unbelievably small.

"I'm not an admin anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a. sorry not sorry
> 
> b. a quick explanation of how i'm writing the aether! it is mostly based on the original version but will use elements of the second one (items, mobs, etc) as well. as well as some artistic licence for funsies. so it's a bit of a mash up of different things to create a more interesting adventure. i felt like i should make that clear before i had anyone get confused!
> 
> c. he'll live, promise.


	5. biding time by exploring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Discoveries are made as they wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i nearly titled this 'the beach episode' because that's basically what this is. except instead of bathing suits it's me wanting to see them have fun and explore the aether. this chapter adds basically nothing to the plot, but it's fun, and i think it's worth keeping. what's fanfiction without a bit of self indulgence?

**[MumboJumbo] You guys need to get back here**

**[** **FalseSymmetry** **] has something happened?**

**[** **StressMonster** **] are you guys ok there?**

**[** **ImpulseSV** **] That's not concerning at all**

**[Rendog] Maybe they just wandered off? Not everything needs to be a drama**

**[****Docm77****] ** **mumbos** ** being the sensible one**

**[Docm77] ** **somethings** ** wrong**

* * *

"He's asleep," Cleo steps out from the room, glancing back towards it. "I checked." She joins them in the cave, putting one hand on the wall before smoothly sitting down. Mumbo feels Iskall slouch where their shoulders are pressed together, both supporting each other. False is sat on a crafting table. She holds her goggles, fidgeting with them in her hands. The plait she worked so hard on is already coming undone.

"How is he feeling?" Scar asks. He steps forward from his position, arms crossed and leaning on the wall by the door. Sunlight still shines through the top window. Mumbo doesn't dare check if the sun has moved.

"Absolutely wonderful, Scar, what do you think?" Cleo bites, before bunching up her hands, breathing out slowly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that." Scar smiles at her without it reaching his eyes.

"I understand."

None of them have moved since the other three got back. Cleo took Xisuma to one of the back rooms to give him some space, whilst Mumbo explained what happened. Since then it's been a waiting game. How do they proceed from here? It's like someone's stolen the block from under them. They're a world without an admin. That's- None of them know what that means for them. None of them know what that means for Xisuma.

"What do we do now?" False asks, laying her goggles to rest in her lap. "Because this is more than just finding Grian now." Mumbo can't fully look at her. He doesn't think any of them know. This is the kind of thing Xisuma would decide.

"The other hermits will panic if we tell them," Cleo says, "And I'm sure Xisuma would prefer to tell them himself." That's a fair enough assumption to make.

"We're not giving up on this," Iskall decides, his voice firm. He sits up independently from Mumbo's side. "At least, I'm not. What if that thing is why Grian hasn't come back? What if he's in danger too? I can't just go back and do nothing."

"And what if Xisuma tells us to?" False suggests.

"He won't," Cleo replies. "But he's going to need time." She speaks from experience Mumbo doesn't know. He listens.

"I say we keep exploring," Iskall says, "Our best bet is finding something that could give us answers. I don't want to sit here doing nothing."

"I'm staying with Xisuma," Cleo says, "He's going to need someone."

"I'm staying as well," Scar decides, joining Cleo across the room. He has his hands in his pockets, but he looks anything but relaxed. "I expect you guys to send us your coordinates regularly. Xisuma can't find you if you get lost." It's a simple fact, but a terrifying one. They're really on their own.

Iskall stands, offering Mumbo a hand up. He smiles at him encouragingly. They look at False and she nods, sliding off the crafting table.

"We've got this. Maybe Grian has answers?" Iskall suggests. Mumbo likes that idea. Answers are something they're really starting to need.

"We're not going to find anything standing around." False pulls her goggles on over her hair. She snaps them once, smiling with some of her vibrant energy. Mumbo prepares himself, and decides he's got to adopt the same attitude. If they're going to fix this, then they need to work for it.

* * *

The sun hasn't moved.

False flies up ahead, scouting the island for any signs of danger. They've seen very little so far, but started exploring things fully They've found the trees are different, called Skyroot. It seems to work the same way. They can make it into planks, sticks and tools. It's difficult navigating without any kind of instructions, but he now has a Skyroot tool set. He has a feeling their enchanted diamond ones are better.

"There has to be precious stones of some kind around here, right?" Iskall is saying. He's been rambling a lot as they walk, examining the new tools in his hands. "I mean, we can make tools of the wood. Probably of the stone. It makes sense!"

"We can't just assume it's all the same," Mumbo reminds him. "But yeah, it makes sense." False lands beside them, gently touching down and falling in stride.

"Do you guys think," She proposes, "That the lava thing was this dimension's Enderdragon?" It makes Mumbo shudder to think of it. Vicious and vengeful, furious at being trapped in her dimension, and even more furious at others entering it.

"It called us mortals," Mumbo tells them, "So probably."

"Oh, it insults us too?" Iskall says, throwing his hands up, "Attacking our admin isn't good enough. Got to insult us as well." False laughs lightly, watching across the land.

"I say we change our mission," She says, "We find Grian, and then we teach that thing a lesson for hurting our admin."

Iskall nods, humming thoughtfully, "I'd put my vote in." Mumbo nods too.

"It would help if we knew how to attack the guy," He says, "I mean, that was an enchanted diamond sword! It melted like it was nothing!" False huffs, the loose strands of hair in her face puffing out.

"We can't even go in creative now," She says, "That really sucks."

"Maybe it'll have a different mechanic to it," Iskall tries drawing a picture with his hands. Mumbo has no idea what he's doing. "Like the dragon has her towers. Maybe it's something like that." Mumbo tries thinking of what could defeat a being like that. The loose bucket of water in his inventory evaporated, so he's pretty sure water wouldn't work. Ice, maybe? Just throw ice at it? He knows someone with a good supply of the stuff. Hell, even Iskall has his ice farms.

They come to a sudden stop, False throwing her arm in front of them both. Ahead of them is a large, muddy blue coloured creature. It has dark plated shields around its head and onto its shoulders, locking together. Pale blue antlers stick out of either side of its head. It's similar to a ravager in size, and its blue eyes stare them down. False steps forward. Her hand is held out in front of her, completely empty.

"Hey, we're not here to hurt you," She says, her voice gentle. It doesn't seem to be attacking them. Instead, it lowers its head towards False's hand, black nose sniffing. Then it snorts, turning away and continuing to roam. Mumbo didn't realise he was holding his breath.

"That thing was huge," Iskall whispers, turning to False. She's spun to look at them with a proud smile.

"You know, the rest of this place has been nice," She says, twisting to look at the retreating animal. "I don't understand how something can be so dangerous and so beautiful."

"I don't know, have you seen Grian building redstone?" Mumbo snorts, holding his hand in front of his face. False shakes her head at Iskall's comment. She throws a berry at him. Iskall catches it and plops it into his mouth.

"Don't speak ill of the missing!" She teases, beginning to walk again now the animal has gone. Mumbo follows after her. Iskall eats a few more berries first.

"I'll wait until we find him!" He calls. She laughs brightly, and Mumbo is so happy to hear that sound. They need a good laugh.

Between the three of them, the mood is lighter. It's not the same silence from the shelter. That silence that felt like it was strangling them, raising tempers and dampening moods. Out here, everything is more open and free. They have the space they need to enjoy themselves and explore, like the others are so excited to do.

It's weird, Mumbo realises, seeing the sky so still. The clouds don't move, part of the drawbacks of them being solid. The sun still hasn't moved. There's no hermits whizzing through the sky, with the whistle and burst of air. It feels shockingly empty. Except, maybe, that white thing over there.

"What-" He holds his hand out, "-Is that?" Iskall makes a soft noise, turning at the same time as False. They've not even travelled that far. They're still on the same island, though they're at the edge of it.

"Is that a _cloud?_" Iskall sounds as confused as Mumbo does. The thing floats, and Mumbo may well have thought it was a cloud if not for the irregular shape, and blue markings. He's noticed that style of marking on other creatures here. It wasn't on the lava thing though. False takes out some rockets.

"I'm going to fly to it," She decides. Iskall holds his hand up.

"You probably shouldn't fly to it."

"I'm gonna fly to it." She jumps up, setting off a rocket and soaring into the air. Iskall sighs, watching her.

"I'm understanding why Xisuma is so tired." Mumbo laughs softly, watching as False grows closer, elytra open wide. The creature's cheeks puff up, and it suddenly releases a burst of air that makes Mumbo and Iskall stumble back. They look up when the assault stops.

False is spiralling.

Iskall takes out his bow, whilst Mumbo leaps off the edge, free falling and pushing himself faster with fireworks. His elytra wings are tight together, as streamlined as he can manage. False is only just managing to right herself. Her arms flail, attempting to find balance. Mumbo reaches out as they pass the bottom of the island, managing to clutch under her shoulder. She stretches up, grasping his forearm whilst Mumbo looks to the sky, begins firing. False's weight drags him down and his arm burns as he tries to keep his grip. He can feel every muscle stretch to its limit. Then there's a sudden release, a burst in False's hand and they both shoot upwards, holding each other tightly. As they reach the top of the island, he feels a pull on his shoulder, directing his flight. He leans into it.

Pain shoots through him as he hits the grass, his shoulder and side taking the impact. False is still holding onto his arm, her fingers digging into his skin. He's still clutching her too, both of them sprawled out in the grass. He forces open burning eyes to see Iskall standing over them.

"Are you guys okay? That looked really bad." False's laugh turns into a cough half way through.

"We're alive," She says, releasing Mumbo and rolling herself off him. She lies on her front with her limbs stretched out, completely limp. "Just about." Mumbo moans in agreement. The side of his face is still pressed into the dirt. Iskall winces in sympathy, putting his bow away to help them sit up. Mumbo holds his head, trying to force away the feelings of vertigo. A potion is pushed into his other hand and he downs it without looking.

"Let's not mention this to the others," He suggests. Beside him, False is drinking her potion more slowly. She's taken her goggles off, and seeing the mark they've left makes Mumbo's eyes sting even more.

"Let's not," False agrees. She glances up into the sky. Mumbo checks as well. It's empty, and relief washes over him.

"That thing had a pair of lungs on it," Iskall comments. "It nearly knocked us off our feet." False twists around and picks up the wing of her elytra.

"It hit my elytra. Sent me into a spin." The wing is bent, split at the edges where it looks like it folded. It's certainly not going to be flyable. "Don't know how I'm going to hide this. We've not got an XP farm here."

"You can use a spare, it's why we brought them." Iskall puts down his Ender Chest, taking out a shulker box. As he does, Mumbo helps False take off her elytra. With his shaky fingers and slowly restoring vision, he's not the greatest help. But she shrugs them off, the wings dropping lifelessly to the ground in time for Iskall to give her new ones.

"We could burn it?" Mumbo suggests, because he really wants to be seen as responsible. How are the other three going to see him as mature after this? He just plunged himself off a cliff. Good God.

"That's a little dramatic," Iskall says. False laughs softly, nodding in agreement.

"I bet we'll be going back to our dimension soon anyway," She points out, "I'll sneak it to an XP farm or something. They'll never know." The smile on her face reminds Mumbo of being a kid, scheming plans and how to avoid parents. In a way, it reminds him of Grian.

They sit on the ground a little while longer, Iskall joining them properly. Mumbo feels out of breath. He keeps glancing skyward, afraid of what he'll see. His wounds have healed up but his shoulder still feels a bit stiff. He wonders what happens if you fall, and then decides he doesn't want to know.

"Do you guys think X will be okay?" False asks. She's lying back on the grass, her new elytra on her stomach. Her hair is spread out around her, the plait deemed a lost cause. She watches the sky, eyes never leaving that endless blue.

"I hope so." Iskall is watching her. Neither of them saw the state he was in. How long it took for Cleo to talk him into uncurling, or the tears down his face when he did. Mumbo's heart hurts thinking about it. Xisuma looked broken. Mumbo never wants to see that expression again.

Being an admin was part of Xisuma's sense of purpose. Mumbo tries to understand by equating it to not being able to do redstone anymore. Sure, there's other things he can do. He can build, he can explore, he can fight. But redstone is what he loves, it's what other people look up to him for. Imagining it being gone feels impossible.

"He'll pull through," Mumbo says. 'He has to' he doesn't add on the end.

Iskall nods, "And he's got us." False smiles, pushing herself up so she can look at them.

"Can't get rid of us," She says, firmly.

"Unless we plunge off the side again," Mumbo retorts. False laughs, falling back into the grass.

"I promise I won't fly at the next thing I see." Mumbo smiles, nudging her whilst Iskall laughs loudly. "I've learnt my lesson!"

* * *

The clouds are colder than Mumbo expected. He's lying on one, arms spread out and open. It is in the name, cold aercloud and all. It's different experiencing it. It's like lying in snow, but less wet. He's wearing enough layers it doesn't really bother him. Instead, he gets to enjoy the feeling of sinking. Like slime. Snow and slime combined. That's the best way he can describe it.

Up above him, Iskall and False are collecting the clouds they can find. They want to make parachutes. After the falling off incident, they'll be useful to have. Elytras are great, but if they break midair, that could spell disaster. A parachute could might save them.

"Mumbo!" He rolls over, trying to spot where False is yelling from. It didn't sound particularly urgent. She sounded excited, which is more worrying. He manages to spot her dark clothing against the blue sky. Then he squints, watching as she bounces in place. She laughs, the sound reaching where Mumbo is, as she attempts to flip in the air.

Mumbo manages to free himself from the clouds. It's nearly impossible to take off from them, so he leaps off the edge, opening his elytra to fly to where False is bouncing. They're on the other side of the portal platform, but they can still see their island. Mumbo realises as he gets closer, she's on some of the blue clouds. She's still laughing, waves as Mumbo grows nearer.

He comes in to land carefully, reaching out to touch the cloud with his foot. Both feet are barely on the block until he's thrown into the air, opening his elytra in a panic and falling forward into his front. False laughs, still jumping with ease. On her way down, she places a block on top of the cloud, landing hard on it. But she pulls Mumbo up, saving him from his forever bouncing fate.

"Isn't this cool?" She asks, putting another block down so she can step backwards. "You just bounce! This could be so useful!" Honestly, Mumbo can see it. These would make brilliant launch platforms for elytras. He drops a block of cobblestone onto one, watching it zoom into the air. _And_ transportation. He catches the block midfall, putting it into his inventory.

"How high do you bounce?" Mumbo asks. False has sat at the edge, watching her foot bounce when she taps the cloud.

"Over ten blocks, at least. It's hard to count with nothing around us." He breaks one of them, manages to catch it before it launches off above him. He can test that when they have more time. It could be really useful in his mechanisms.

"You guys have to see this." Iskall lands on the blue aercloud, and immediately bounds off the other side. He catches himself with his elytra, but not before False bursts into hysterics, and Mumbo curls over laughing at the shocked, then annoyed look on Iskall's face. He quickly places another block down for Iskall to land on.

"You went flying!" False cries, standing upright with her hand over her mouth. Mumbo can see her grin behind it. Iskall shakes himself off, crossing his arms.

"You two are heartless!" He exclaims, scowling at them both. His elytra folds neatly behind him, but he keeps the fireworks in his hand.

"I put a block down for you, didn't I?" Mumbo points at the cobblestone under Iskall's feet. Iskall sighs, all dramatics.

"After I got thrown off," He says. False places her hands on Mumbo's shoulders, leaning over and grinning.

"You're fine, aren't you?" She says, her voice with a teasing lilt. Iskall looks down at the blue aercloud.

"This makes my discovery less interesting."

False tilts her head, "Did you find another cloud?"

"Purple. But it's probably best we do this back on land."

They fly back to the island, making sure they're far enough inland. Iskall puts up quick walls around them anyway. False watches him, whilst Mumbo checks his communicator. There's been no messages from the other three. A lot of confusion from the other hermits, though. He's not sure what he can tell them right now. He feels a bit guilty about all of this. He's sure they would've come here eventually, but the emotional part of his brain is winning over logic. Seeing the hermits worry only makes him feel worse. But he shakes it off, trying to enjoy this time exploring.

"So, this is the purple aercloud." Iskall holds up the block. False hums, holding her hand out. Iskall passes her one.

"I wonder why these are all named after their colours, whilst the white ones are just called Cold?" She muses aloud, tilting the block in her search for answers. Iskall gives her a blank look.

"I mean, they are cold," Mumbo says, shrugging. False turns to him with a dirty stare.

"Let me be philosophical for once, Mumbo." She's smiling behind her put-on anger. Mumbo laughs, shaking his head. She gives the block back to Iskall. He stands carefully aligned with a wall before placing it down.

"So-" He takes out some golden carrots, "-When I drop these onto the cloud." They fall from his hand, hitting the block and shooting out into the wall. False audibly 'oo's, stepping closer to look. Iskall breaks the cloud, walking around ninety degrees and placing it down again. "But it shoots them out depending on what direction I place it!" He throws another golden carrot down, watching it hit the next wall. Then he shows it again from different angles, all of them shooting in the same direction.

False leans over it, "Does it do it to us, as well?" Iskall nods, then points at the wall.

"I wouldn't recommend trying it right now. Items only for this test." False laughs, nodding. It seems like she's learnt her lesson after the encounter with the angry cloud.

"So what you're saying is that we could use this for Sahara," Mumbo says, only half joking. When he steps closer, he can feel the breeze coming from the block and can see small particles floating in the same direction. It's pretty cool, he'll admit it.

"We're in a new dimension, looking at these blocks we've never seen before, and your first thought is your _shop_?" False says, sounding more amused than anything. Iskall picks up the golden carrots, putting them away.

"Your's isn't?" Mumbo replies, teasing her back. She smirks at him, rubbing her fingers together.

"Your know I'm always thinking about those diamonds."

"You sound like Scar," Iskall says, walking back to them both. False shakes her head.

"Scar has so many diamonds that he doesn't have to think about them," She points out. Iskall laughs.

Their communicators beep in chorus. Synchronized, they open the screens, reading through the message left for the three of them.

"Speak of the devil," Iskall murmurs. False hums. Their mood has had a bucket of water thrown on it. Mumbo wasn't looking forward to facing this reality again. "Let's head back. See what the plan is."

"At least we've had fun today, right?" False says, giving them both a bit of smile. It doesn't reach her cheeks, looking tight instead. But he can appreciate her trying.

"We'll beat this place eventually," Iskall says, sounding a little more determined. It's the attitude they adopt as they head back to the shelter. They'll beat this. They've still got a Grian to find, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i forgot this last week! but the sun spirit is based off the book of lore artwork seen [ here!](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Sun_Spirit?file=12_-_Sun_Spirit.png)
> 
> and the creature they encounter is a [ burrukai!](https://aether.gamepedia.com/Burrukai) they're not in the official releases yet but i love em.
> 
> the cloud is a [ zephyr.](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Zephyr) people who have played the aether will be familiar with them. i went for the later gust of air instead of the snowballs for the Dramatics. however i went for the older colour scheme. don't ask i don't know either.
> 
> join me next time as i call more things 'things' because i've realised the hermits have no way to know their names!


	6. eternal daylight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a balance of good and bad news, and biding time. Hermits can never just sit still, can they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this has been finished for a few days, i've just been busy with work to edit it,, uni starts next week too so my life balance will get a bit messier, apologies!!

Scar is waiting for them outside. He's leaning against the wooden wall, arms folded and occasionally drawing his eyes across the land. Iskall and Mumbo have been trying to explain how Sahara works to False (under a promise of 'you can't tell anybody' and 'these are trade secrets.') She nods, but looks mostly blank.

When Scar sees them approach, he stands, waving at the trio. False waves back, whilst Iskall nods to acknowledge him. They speed up a little, and the conversation drops as they approach, Iskall and Mumbo sharing a look.

"So what were you three chatting away about?" Scar asks, as they draw closer, "Something about deserts, I hear?" His grin is nothing short of smug.

"Clouds," Iskall answers, instinctively. False snorts, bringing her hand up to try to stifle her giggle. Scar rolls his eyes, stepping back and holding a hand out.

"What _happened_ to you lot? You weren't this messy when you left." It's the first time Mumbo has properly looked at the three of them. False's hair is completely unkempt, falling in bunches over her shoulders, and weirdly half under her goggles. Iskall has faired no better, his hair blown up and sticking in odd directions. Mumbo instinctively tries to ruffle out his own hair. Looking down, he realises there's grass sticking to his suit where he hit the ground, across his chest where the armour doesn't cover. False looks the same. She pushes a bunch of her hair back over her head.

"We had an adventure," Mumbo says, sharing a look with the other three.

"It involved clouds," False adds, with a grin. It's Iskall's turn to laugh, completely failing to hide it. Mumbo smiles at the sight, raising his hand to his mouth in an attempt to disguise it. Scar sighs, shakes his head, but he's smiling too.

"What will we do with you three?" He sounds like a disappointed dad. Mumbo tries not to think about how he's the youngest on the server, but he certainly feels it being teased like this. "Come on, they'll be annoyed they're missing the gossip." Scar gestures towards the door to their little house, turning before they can say any more.

Mumbo feels apprehensive entering the room. He doesn't want to go back into that stifling silence. Not knowing what to say. It's hard seeing a friend so unhappy. Somehow, he ends up following after Scar, the other two falling behind him. It gets it over with faster.

He's pleasantly surprised.

Cleo and Xisuma are sat at the crafting table, two stairs put down to sit on. Cleo is talking, with big gestures and a wide smile, about something to do with pirates that Mumbo can't really work out. (It's a trend. Cleo's life experience isn't very conventional. Well, it's not entirely a life experience, is it?) Xisuma is leaning forward onto the table, smiling brightly as she talks. He looks so much better than when Mumbo last saw him. It's still weird seeing him without the helmet. He's not taken it off in front of them since he was mostly sleep delirious. He wonders who would be able to repair it. Someone will, for Xisuma.

"We're back!" False announces, rushing for the hairbrush she left in one of the chests. Mumbo takes off his armour and suit jacket, looking at how crumpled and grass stained its become. It was _one_ _trip_. Maybe Iskall has the right idea with green.

"Who invited you guys?" Cleo asks, turning around to face them. Her lips are turned up at one edge.

"Scar." Iskall points towards him. Scar holds his hands up.

"I just saw three, lonely looking fellas out on the doorstep, and how could I _not _give them a home?" He strings the sentence out with an exaggerated tone, closing his eyes with a sigh. Xisuma laughs, just a little, and man is Mumbo glad to hear that sound. He rests his head on his hand, smiling at them fondly. Underneath it all, he looks tired. Mumbo can only imagine.

"I'm glad you guys had fun," He says. Despite the genuine tone of his voice, Mumbo feels like he's been punched. They've been out there, enjoying themselves, specifically _avoiding_ this whilst the others can do anything but. This is Xisuma's reality, now, what is he supposed to avoid? Given how silent the other two have fallen, Mumbo guesses they feel it too.

"We have some good news," Cleo announces, quickly. She clasps her hands together to help break the settling silence, elbows on the table. Xisuma hums, closing his eyes as he nods.

"Oh?" False puts her hairbrush away - her hair relatively tamer than it was before - and finds a perch for herself. She folds her legs, leaning forward. Cleo turns to Xisuma. He glances away for the briefest second before reorientating.

"Before I- uh," He falters, presses his lips together then continues, "Lost access to my admin abilities, I was able to find Grian's coordinates." Mumbo's attention piques at that news, standing up a little straighter. "It's a trek, and there's no guarantee he'll still be there, but it's all we have to go on."

"So, it's better than nothing," Scar says. His tone is more optimistic then Xisuma's soft voice.

"However, I do need to tell the other hermits what's happened," Xisuma continues. Mumbo sighs through his nose. Iskall and False share a look. "Cleo has offered to go back with me. But, you guys can stay, if you want. I don't want you going after Grian without me, but the portal could use more protection?" It's an out if Mumbo's ever heard one. One he's going to take. He can't face the other hermits right now. Maybe he won't be best at building the portal up, but he can supervise.

Cleo absently checks her communicator when it beeps. She frowns, eyes flicking up to the group and then back down. She scans over the messages, and then scans again.

"Cleo?" Xisuma asks, his head tilted. His hair falls onto his shoulder when he does that. It's gotten so long under his helmet. Cleo looks up, her face squinted in confusion.

"Okay so, the sun doesn't move up here, yeah?" It's not really a question, but they nod anyway. She looks back at her communicator. "It's not moving back in the normal world. Impulse timed it. The sun isn't moving."

"What?" False stands, rushing to peer over Cleo's shoulder. Mumbo's hands go to his own communicator, reading over the chat.

"That can't be right," Scar murmurs, under his breath. He looks at Xisuma, sharing his communicator with him. "What is going on?"

"I-" Xisuma closes his eyes, goes to adjust a helmet that isn't there, before simply pressing his hands over his face. "We need to go." He looks at Cleo, lowering his hands back to the table.

"We need to go _now_." They stand in a rush. The other four find themselves following. They leave the shelter half lived in, their things still scattered across the surfaces and in the chests. They move in complete unity, flying to the platform with the portal on once again. It's still too small for all of them.

Xisuma turns to face the group, Cleo stood by his side. The portal swirls behind him, the blue creating an edge to his armour. The gold of the glowstone barely shows up in this sunlight.

"You guys should stay here," He tells them. He's watching them all with a level stare, nearly a warning amongst the group. Scar steps forward, False right behind him.

"Why, this is-!" False gestures when she can't find the words to what she wants to say.

"This is a big problem, X," Scar finishes for her. His stare is as pointed as Xisuma's. Mumbo steps back, not wanting to be caught in the middle of it. He finds Iskall right beside him.

"I want this platform to be safe," Xisuma says, "And I want you four to be as well."

"We'd be more safe in the overworld," False points out. Scar nods in agreement with her.

"I want you to make progress here." Xisuma speaks earnestly. He drops his posture, holds his hands out palms up. His eyes look like he's trying to appeal to each one of them and he looks so tired through it all. Mumbo steps forward. He places his hand on Scar's shoulder, careful not to push down too hard.

"I don't think anyone but you could create a floating island," He says, keeping his voice light and trying to ignore how relieved Xisuma looks. Now isn't the place for fighting.

"We won't be long," Cleo says, her wide smile only making itself look more fake, "And we'll bring more elytra and rockets back with us." Scar and False stand down, but they don't look happy. Mumbo isn't sure how to feel. He doesn't want everyone to fight, no matter what. It won't help anything.

"Go and talk to them," Iskall says, "We'll have a cool looking portal house for when you get back."

"Could we at least go back for materials if we need them?" Scar asks, arms crossed tightly across his chest.

Xisuma nods, "Just travel in pairs, okay? Don't leave anybody alone. Keep track of where you are."

"Yes, dad."

* * *

False builds the scaffolding down from the platform. She floats, elytra open and potion particles drifting above her, placing dirt as she goes. In the end, they have a large dirt platform underneath, perfect to start work on a floating paradise. Scar and Iskall mine one of the islands, collecting aether grass, dirt, and holystone. Mumbo harvests the trees, flowers, and bushes. It's good to start stockpiling a lot of the ores they find. Mumbo feels more secure knowing they've got reserves.

It does lead to some distraction. They find zanite, and ice stone. Iskall and False excitedly try to figure out what they're used for as Scar begins creating the shape of the island. They're lazy, don't know how much time they have, so they're only using stone and cobblestone inside. It'll be pretty average in size from what's Scar's going for. They need some room for what they want on top.

Mumbo thinks the eternal daylight is getting to him, though. When was the last time they slept? The island is taking shape before him, Scar starting to terraform the outside, False helping where she can. It's a good job they brought so many slow falling potions. Mumbo sits on the ground, watches for awhile. He turns when Iskall sits beside him, yawning.

"It must've been nighttime by now, right?" Iskall asks, leaning back on his hands. Mumbo sighs, lies back into the grass. With his eyes shut, it feels just like the overworld. A gentle heat, open air and the sound of rockets and laughter overhead.

"I'm feeling like it," He admits. It's getting hard to open his eyes again. Iskall pats his arm, laughing with that familiar accent that makes Mumbo smile.

"Have a nap, dude, we've got it handled."

"Don't you guys need to sleep as well?" It's been the same amount of time for them. The last thing they need is someone falling out of the world because they're barely awake.

"We'll take shifts," Iskall says, "I'm sure I can force those two into a bed."

"And yourself?"

"Mm, I guess." Mumbo laughs. He rolls onto his side, spreading out on the warm grass. Iskall rubs his shoulder. "I didn't mean to sleep out here!" Mumbo only hums, pretty sure it's too late for that.

When he wakes up, he's been moved inside. The carpeted floor is comfortable beneath him, and he sighs. Rolling onto his arm, he opens his eyes, looking at the wooden walls. He can't hear any of the others around. He doesn't like the quiet. He sits himself up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. His suit jacket is crumpled beyond saving. He takes it off, leaving it on the side as he heads out to find the others.

Instead, he finds Iskall. He waves as Mumbo approaches, looking up at a now completed island.

"You look better," Iskall tells him. He's perched on a grass block, leaning on his knees. He's lost his suit jacket. It's too hot for it. And their suits aren't really made for adventures. Mumbo runs his fingers through his hair.

"I look like I just woke up from a nap." Iskall laughs, pats the grass beside him. Mumbo takes a seat.

"The other two are collecting quartz," He says. "They want to build a temple looking thing. Wanted to match the one on the overworld." Mumbo nods. He can see that working. With False and Scar's expertise, anything they make will be incredible.

"We haven't seen those blocks, have we?" Mumbo cringes at how rough his voice sounds.

Iskall shakes his head, "Couldn't spot any, and we haven't found anything while digging. Found something called gravitite ore though? We couldn't work out how to break it."

"A normal pickaxe?" Mumbo suggests. Iskall huffs, throwing his hand out.

"Of course we tried a normal pickaxe! We even tried a zanite one! Nothing worked!" Mumbo frowns. He's never heard of an ore not breaking. "Oh, but there is something I can show you."

Iskall jumps up, stacking a few blocks and then destroying the ones underneath. He takes out what Mumbo assumes is the gravitite ore. It's embedded with pink coloured gemstones, glimmering prettily in the sunlight. Iskall places it beneath the block, and Mumbo watches as it floats up on its own. Iskall steps back, grinning with his hands on his hips.

"Look at that!"

"I'm looking," Mumbo says, climbing onto his feet. "It's just- Is it floating?"

"If the block wasn't there it would just fly up. Which is really cool but also a really easy way to lose blocks." Mumbo chuckles, watching as Iskall picks it up, destroying the spare block. "Just wish it was useful." The sad thing is, it probably could be if they knew how to use it. But Mumbo doesn't even know where to start. An ore that won't break? There's a lot they need help with here. And someone took personal offence to the person who could help them.

"Did they leave us anything to do?" Mumbo asks, eager to get back into something. He has no idea how long he's slept. He's not going to try and figure it out.

"Nope," Iskall replies, "Besides trying to find any of those reddish bricks."

"You feel like a fly around? See what we can spot?" Iskall smiles at the idea, putting his hands in his trouser pockets.

"My clothes are already ruined. Why not?"

* * *

They're further out than they've been before. The portal island is simply a dot in the distance, both of them soaring through the sky with ease. Iskall points out some of the things they've learnt along the way. The quicksoil at the bottom of the islands, kind of the opposite to soulsand. The golden oak trees that glimmer in the sunshine drop golden amber and skyroot logs. Iskall has a band of purple zanite tools now, instead of the familiar blue.

Mumbo lands on a cloud at Iskall's gesture, sinking into the white. Iskall is stood at the edge, looking out at an island. He points towards the side.

"Do you see that?" Mumbo leans forward, trying to look. He sees the usual trees and flowers, maybe some animals he doesn't recognise. "The entrance in the side."

When Mumbo spots it, he's surprised it took him so long. The bricks are familiar, around a black tunnel he can't see into. The same as the ones before, but this time, blue. They share a look, before Iskall jumps off the platform, Mumbo following after him. They land, hovering in front of the entrance.

"Hello?" Iskall's voice echoes into the tunnel. Mumbo whacks his arm, scowling.

"Don't do that!"

"What?"

"Call hello!" Mumbo stares into the darkness. They can't see past it. "We don't know what it could be." Iskall steps forward, taking out a torch.

"Well, maybe it's friendly." He lights the torch, and frowns when it immediately fizzles out. "Oh." Mumbo lights his own, only to get the same effect.

"Do torches not work?" He questions, looking up into the black.

Iskall shrugs, "I guess not." Mumbo scowls, then thinks for a moment. He pulls out some ambrosium shards, and some sticks. Honestly, he's more surprised his logic is correct. Ambrosium looks a little like coal, and it glows. Of course it could make a torch. He holds it up to show Iskall.

"Think this will work?"

Iskall smirks, "Oh, so we're going in, are we?" Mumbo's moment of triumph shatters. 

"Wait- no-"

"Come on, Mumbo Jumbo!" Iskall runs ahead into the entrance. Mumbo sighs, closing his eyes to steel himself until he can run in after.

The entrance gives way into a long hall. It's dark, dotted with glowing symbols on blocks. Mumbo presses against Iskall's shoulder, turning back to see the way out shrouded in black. He frowns.

"I don't like this," He admits, quietly. His voice bounces off the walls, like whispers in the wind. He shivers. Iskall takes a few steps forward, Mumbo following closely out of necessity.

"Let's go a little further," Iskall says, "Then we'll go back out." Mumbo nods. That's reasonable. He's curious what all this is. A dungeon of some sort? Iskall takes the lead, Zanite sword held in front of him. Mumbo holds his diamond one, clutching it close to his chest.

They walk through together. Mumbo keeps his torch aloft, casting a yellow glow over the blue blocks. The glowing symbols look like eyes in the darkness and Mumbo can't shake off the feeling he's being watched. The corridor splits, and Iskall gives Mumbo a look, the two deciding to head towards a chest.

"I guess it's a dungeon?" Mumbo says, mostly to himself. Iskall hums, taking large strides to the chest. He reaches forward, knocking the front of it.

Neither of them expect the chest to open wide, white teeth glinting and making a lunge for Iskall's arm. Iskall jumps back with a startled cry, swinging his sword wide. The chest flashes red, jumping towards them. A large eye is sat in the middle, rolling to stare at them. Its blue iris is icily cold. Mumbo fumbles for his bow, managing to shoot off arrows into the animated chest. It makes another leap at Iskall, teeth grazing his arm.

"Iskall!" Mumbo reacts instinctively, discarding his bow on the ground. He slams his sword down, the chest bursting into sparkling green orbs. Iskall puts pressure on his arm as he stares at the XP crawling towards him. Mumbo breathes heavily, sword still held out in front of him. Everything is suddenly too loud over the thundering of his heart.

"What was that?" Iskall says, too quietly and too quickly. Mumbo turns to look at him as Iskall finally reaches for a potion. He shakes his head.

"I don't- a chest? An alive chest?" He's stumbling his words but he can't find it in himself to care. They've encountered the angry cloud, and the scary lava thing, but nothing has attacked them quite like that. It was primal, like a zombie shambling towards its prey. This isn't an ordinary dungeon, is it?

"It _bit_ me!" Iskall exclaims, as if that's only just sinking in. Mumbo is, in fact, very aware of it. "It had- it had an eye!" Mumbo is also very aware of that.

"I think this is a bad idea," Mumbo says, picking his bow up off the floor. "I think we should leave now, and not come back. We should pretend this never happened."

"I mean- we still need to _beat it._" Iskall turns, looking at how the dungeon begins to branch out. "But maybe not alone."

"_Maybe?!_"

"Okay, okay, we should definitely leave and get the others." Iskall steps back to where they came from. At least, was that where they came from? There was only one hallway, none of these directions lead to only one hallway.

"Iskall," Mumbo says, as he finishes looking through the last entrance, "Are we lost?" Iskall clicks his tongue.

"We... We're lost." They share a look. The others are gonna kill them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mumbo, encountering any inconvenience, ever: this never happened and nobody can prove it.
> 
> also, i wrote and took out so many meandering parts in this. please save me from myself.


	7. time for someone completely different

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A second perspective is introduced, with the same kind of problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, ive been planning to have this happen already, but this is in fact a story of two perspectives! there's a reason why cleo is the other one, though she won't be as common as mumbo. no, it's not just that i love her. though it's part of it, yeah.

Cleo leans onto her knees, watching as Doc meticulously takes apart the helmet. They're sat in Area 77, under the shade of the hanger. Xisuma is sat on the floor, legs folded up to support his arms. He's watching Doc closely, tracking his every move. None of them speak. Part of Cleo is enjoying how much louder it is here. She can hear the wind rustling the distant trees, whistling through the door to the hangar. Occasionally there's footsteps, something strolling on the grass.

"And right here," Doc murmurs, unscrewing something at the back of the helmet. The pieces fall apart, Doc manoeuvring them to the ground delicately. He takes out the wires, and Xisuma groans.

"Oh come on!" Doc picks up the wires, coatings and metal melted together into one thick strand. Xisuma pokes at a coil left on the ground.

"Man, that is completely melted through." Doc twists the mess around in the air.

Xisuma huffs, "I can see that." Cleo peers over the top from her perch. None of the wires look salvageable. She doesn't have to be an electronic genius like Doc or Biffa to guess that one. She can't even distinguish which wires used to be separate anymore.

"They'll need replacing, then?" She asks, both of them looking up to her. Doc hums, laying out the rest of the helmet in neat pieces on the ground.

"The shield shouldn't be too hard to do, especially since you still have the mould," He nods towards Xisuma. It's not the first time they've broken the glass in a misadventure. Keeping the mould for easy repairs was just logical. "But the wiring is going to take longer."

"How much longer?" Xisuma asks, his expression tight. Doc sighs.

"Given that I've got to remake all this, then wire it correctly, in an unmodded world, a while." Xisuma buries his head in his hands. Cleo reaches over to squeeze his shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. It doesn't really work.

"This can't get much worse," Xisuma mutters into his hands. Cleo's personally more a fan of the 'you shouldn't tempt fate' approach. The last thing it needs is an invitation. That's how you end up dead.

"Aren't there any spare communicators?" Doc asks, sitting back and leaving the helmet between them. "You usually have one on hand for us lot."

"I make them when you ask," Xisuma replies. "They're tiring. I should've left one spare."

"I mean-" Cleo gestures towards the sky, "-We couldn't exactly guess that all this was gonna happen." If any of them could, it would be impressive. She'd like those kind of abilities. The words don't bring any comfort to Xisuma, though, looking like a deflating balloon where he's sat.

"We could ask around. Maybe someone will lend you one?" Doc suggests. Xisuma only shakes his head.

"I don't want to leave anyone else cut off. I can manage." Cleo raises her eyebrows at that, sitting forward to rest her chin on her hands. Since they went through that portal, he's tried to adjust his helmet five times, open chat seven, and open his admin menus three. He has no idea what he's doing.

"If you think so, man," Doc says, sharing a look with Cleo over Xisuma's shoulder. Xisuma looks between them both. Some of his hair falls in his face as he pouts.

"I survive normally most of the time!" Xisuma holds his hands out towards Doc. Doc hums placatingly, pointing at the sky.

"Normally we don't have stuff like that," He says, where the sun hasn't moved since they arrived.

"And normally we're not in a new dimension," Cleo adds, looking at Doc for support. He nods somberly. Xisuma rolls his eyes, leaning back on the block behind him.

"You guys have no faith in me." Cleo reaches over, ruffles up Xisuma's hair. He squeaks and tries to lean away from her, nearly falling on his own helmet. Doc props him up with his robot arm, placing the helmet parts out of the way.

"Don't crush it before I've even started," Doc says, his smooth voice betraying no emotion. Helmet out of the way, Cleo pounces, standing over X as both hands muss his hair. Xisuma rolls onto his side, holding his arms up to defend himself as he laughs loudly. Doc watches over them with a gentle sigh, and a smile as warm as the air around them.

Cleo ends up on top of Xisuma, both of them laughing, sprawled out on the concrete. She rolls off, looking at the bright blue sky above them. Doc has stood up, hands in his labcoat pockets. It blows gently in the breeze. His communicator beeps, and he raises his arm to open it. Cleo and Xisuma simply lie on the ground, both trying to catch their breath. Cleo can't stop smiling.

"False and Scar wanted you to know they're around," Doc tells them, looking over the communicator screen. Xisuma pushes himself up on his elbows, hair falling in his face. He reaches up, trying to push it back over the top of his head.

"What are they doing?" He asks, sitting up and leaning against the block behind him. His hair is falling down again already. Cleo's going to get him a clip. Or a hairband. Either would be cute. Getting to see X this shaggy haired is a treat.

"From their words, collecting quartz," Doc replies. He types onto the keyboard projected from his hand. "I might steal Scar from you guys for a bit. If you don't mind." He looks at them both. Xisuma shrugs, and Cleo waves him off.

"You're good. I don't know how long we'll be in this world." Xisuma's answer is truthful enough. They've gotten around most of the hermits by now. It's easier to tell them in bunches instead of trying to force them all into one place again. Especially with how big this world is. Everybody has so many different projects.

"It shouldn't take long. I just want to ask him about some designs for this," Doc waves at the space around them. He continues typing with his other hand.

"For this super secret government facility you're letting us sit in?" Cleo asks, getting some of the dirt out of her hair. She knows it's a lost cause, but she can try. She can't help the fact her hair has more life in it than the rest of her body.

Doc smiles, "Exactly."

Things have been... Surprisingly okay. People haven't reacted too badly. Most of them have been concerned for Xisuma, and Cleo thinks it's important for him to see that. She's not sure the boy gets in his head that he's their friend first and admin second sometimes. They've had all offers of help, which Xisuma's lightly turned down. Only a few of them know the location of the portal, which is a good job, because Cleo could see murder in so many eyes.

The eternal daylight thing is more concerning.

When it comes to its actual effect on the server, it isn't too much. Sleeping is a little harder, as is keeping a schedule. Impulse has set up a big clock over the shopping district and is working on one in Hermitville. Otherwise, Cleo is sure none of the hermits would sleep. Herself included. Then there's the amount of odd pieces of redstone that won't work. But there's nothing they can do about it right now. Without an admin, they can't force night time. Would that even solve the problem, or would they just be stuck in night instead?

This is all way out of Cleo's area of expertise. She mastered armour stands for a reason.

Either way, the sunlight is starting to get on Cleo's nerves. There's some parts of her undead nature she can't shake off. Flying is a nice reprieve. She loves how cool the air is and how the wind tries to force them back. She knows she doesn't feel temperature as well as the living, but she feels some extremes. The wind in the midday sun is one of them.

Doc has tagged along with them. They can meet up with Scar and then... Okay, they've not planned past that yet. They've still got to catch up with Keralis, Wels, Zed and TFC, then that'll be the hermits caught up.

They find Scar and False in the shopping district, bickering over where's best to buy quartz. They land beside them, some more elegant than others. Xisuma rubs his eyes, stumbling slightly as he lands.

"Flying sucks without a helmet," He murmurs. False and Scar turn to greet them, False bouncing on her heels.

"Hey guys! You were quick." She's smiling. She always looks so bright when she's cheerful. Though, she's admittedly the opposite when angry. She's positively _terrifying_ when she's angry. Cleo aspires to instill that fear in people.

"We were average time," Doc says, "If you can tell time is passing." Scar points up at the clock, standing tall in the shopping district. They can't be sure if it's truly accurate or not, but it is for now.

"We noticed the giant clock." Scar seems suitably impressed. It is a pretty neat build. Someone's decorated it since Cleo and Xisuma were last here.

"We all know we wouldn't sleep otherwise," Xisuma says, his eyes still look sore, but he's stopped rubbing them. "We don't need a server of exhausted hermits."

"How are things going?" Cleo asks, finding herself bouncing at the thought. She can't wait to see what they've built. And maybe she's trying not to let Xisuma realise she might be one of those exhausted hermits pretty soon. Scar smiles.

"We've finished the island. Now we're trying to find some quartz for the temple," He explains, with matching excitement in his voice.

"You guys have got to tell me more about this dimension when you have time," Doc says, sticking his hands back into his coat pockets. Scar smiles, and Cleo can see the glitter in his eyes. Considering how close they got to fighting earlier, she's glad he seems so happy.

"I brought back some of the blocks! I'll show you as we talk." Scar rocks where he's stood. "I need to ask Cub about Jellie, too. Gotta check on her." He shuffles the brim of his hat, turning it on his head.

"And we need quartz," False interjects, before they get too off topic. Scar turns to face her, giving an affirmative nod.

"And we need quartz." Doc smiles, looking between the two of them.

Though, maybe they're cursed to forever stay off topic. Cleo checks her communicator as it beeps, frowning at the message she finds. False sighs, sharing a look with her.

Xisuma tilts his head, "What am I missing here?" Cleo sighs, holding her wrist up so Xisuma can read the projection of chat.

"We left them for like, two hours," False says, "And they get stuck." Her eyes squint at the chat, completely disapproving.

A quiet falls. Scar shuffles on his feet, fidgeting with his hands. Xisuma turns to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Scar startles, eyes shooting up to meet Xisuma's.

"You don't need to go," He tells him. His voice is gentle, like Scar is a nervous animal. Scar turns to Doc.

"You can do you, man," Doc says. "I'd love to have you here to chat, but I'm not gonna be offended if you go."

"You're sure it's okay?" Scar asks Xisuma once more. Xisuma smiles.

"Absolutely fine." Cleo steps forward, wrapping her arm around X's shoulder, pulling him down to her height. He goes without complaint. Always does.

"X," She starts, keeping her voice firm, "If I went with False would you be okay-" He wraps his own arm around her side, pulling her into an awkward hug.

"I'll be fine. I'll use someone's communicator when I want picking up."

"You can stay with us," Doc suggests, instead. Scar nods.

"No going off on your own without a communicator. If I remember, didn't you set that rule?" Xisuma rolls his eyes, leaning his head onto Cleo's side.

"I appear to have been outdone." Cleo hums in agreement, walking Xisuma to Doc and Scar and depositing him in their arms.

"Keep him safe!" She says, grinning widely and clapping her hands. False stands beside her, leaning over her shoulder.

"Or you won't be!" She adds, in the same cheerful tone as Cleo. Scar visibly shudders.

They'll have to get that quartz later. They've got some boys to rescue.

* * *

"So they said they flew south east from the main island," Cleo says, reading through chat. "Oh, away from the house. That makes more sense." False nods, tying her hair back up. She takes the hairband from her mouth, starting to twist the ponytail.

"Didn't know if they remembered the sun isn't moving," She says, band snapping as she twists her hair back through. Cleo's given up with her's. She might cut it, if she gets time. Stress's bob always looks cute. Maybe she'll ask.

"Look for the bricks in the wall," Cleo reads, "Like the red ones around the portal but these ones are blue." She's lying on her back, sunk into a white cloud. Above her, she draws out bricks against the blue sky. False has perched higher on the cloud, her legs crossed. She pulls out the ponytail, adjusting its position.

"I mean-" False lets her hair fall, pulling out fireworks, "-We have their last taken coordinates. How hard could it be?"

"Famous last words." False winks, and Cleo can't help but laugh. She sits up, throwing False a smile. "Ready to go?"

"Oh, always." False only sounds slightly sarcastic. Cleo nods, rolling over and dropping into the air. She catches herself easily, hearing False set off her own rockets.

The two fly carefully, circling around each island. False pulls off the riskier manoeuvres, dipping beneath the islands and trying to find any of those bricks. They shout instructions against the wind, pointing at distant islands as they fly further and further out. False attempts to type as she flies, Cleo scanning the grey stone for any discrepancies.

"There!" She yells, wind hitting the back of her throat. False closes her chat, spinning in the air. Her elytra flaps hard. Cleo gets a thumbs up, before they're both flying to the space outside the darkness.

Cleo lightly touches the wall, relieved when it doesn't burn. False, meanwhile, has picked up a discarded torch, looking at the charred end. She holds it towards Cleo.

"It's burnt out," She says. She takes out her own, watching how the flame burns out the moment its lit. "Huh."

Cleo frowns as she looks at it. "I guess we didn't think of that." She places her ender chest, finding the shulker box with a glowstone supply in. She takes half of it. "I have glowstone."

"It must mean they've been here, right?" False looks up at the entrance into the cliff. There's a curtain of darkness over it, impossible to see through. And Cleo tries. She waves her hand through. Cold.

"I guess this is what they meant by a pocket dimension." She stares up at the entrance. They have no idea what kind of stuff will be in here. A dungeon. What an exciting prospect.

"Sent the coords?" False nods, closing up her communicator.

"We're good to go."

Cleo steps through first. It is a little cooler as she comes out into a hallway. False shrugs her jacket on a little tighter, closing it at the front. Cleo places a block of glowstone in front of them. Those symbols are creeping her out in the darkness. Too much like spiders.

"Mumbo? Iskall?" False calls. Her voice echoes down the corridor. She turns to Cleo when there's no response. Not that Cleo really knows what to do.

"Come on," She looks ahead. She thinks she can see where it begins to branch off. "We'll find them eventually." False falls in line beside her, the two walking side by side. Cleo leaves a trail of glowstone as they go, holding her sword in her other hand.

"They did get lost," False says, glancing back towards the entrance. "Is going in the best idea?" Cleo shrugs, tossing another block of glowstone onto the ceiling.

"I've not got any others." They continue walking until they find another corridor. It's only short, dropping into a large room with a winding pillar up its centre. There's three chests and-

'Spawner," False states. Cleo nods, leaning over the edge. Two block drop. She tries to break one down and finds she can't. She sighs.

"Blocks don't break," She relays. "Do you see any mobs?" False shakes her head, frowning.

"I don't think so." The spawner flashes flames, but nothing appears around them. "This is weird."

"Yeah." Cleo places a block down, climbing down, her sword pointed out. She can't see anything moving in the darkness. She takes a few steps out, can hear False moving behind her.

There's the sound of scraping stone. Cleo yelps, a large mass suddenly hitting hard into her side. She stumbles, spinning around to see a cube suddenly disappear into the floor. False presses herself against her side, keeping her eyes on the rest of the room.

"They're in the floor," Cleo murmurs. Now she looks, she can see the outline. It looks like a misplaced tile. Narrowing her eyes, she tries to examine the rest of the stone. Already, she can make out a few more. Why aren't they attacking?

"You go for the spawner," False murmurs, not taking her eyes from the room. "I've got your back." Cleo nods. The spawner is only a few strides away. She takes out her pickaxe and runs for it.

The moment her eyeline changes, the room bursts into movement. She focuses on the spawner, reaching out and slamming her pick into it. False is close enough that Cleo can feel her warmth against her back. The sound of sword hitting stone resounds through the air.

"It's broken!" She calls, as her pickaxe swings through empty space. She climbs fully onto the platform, turning just in time to see a cube leap at her, a green eye glowing bright. She drags her pickaxe through it, knocking the mob off course and to the side. False takes a few steps back towards Cleo.

"They hide when you look at them," She says, keeping her sword pointed at the ground. Cleo raises her pickaxe once more, bringing it down on the misplaced tile. The block pops out, making a high pitched noise as it breaks into XP orbs. There's a few blocks left behind, and she realises it's the same as what the dungeon is made out of.

They fall into rhythm naturally. They keep to each other's backs, scanning the room. Occasionally, they'll look at the celling, allow the blocks time to approach so they can be struck down. Knowing how to deal with them makes it easier, but they'll have to be on the look out throughout the dungeon. Only when the room is cleared out, lit up by glowstone, do they relax.

"I've never seen mobs do that before," Cleo says, walking back to the main platform. False looks around the room, crossing her arms.

"They were... Interesting," False pulls out the blocks they collected from them, examining them in her hand. Cleo, meanwhile, is more occupied with the chests.

She digs into one, pulling out the items she finds.

"A skyroot bucket? You can make buckets out of the wood!" She throws it to False, who catches it easily, raising it to her eye level. She stands by Cleo's side, looking over her shoulder. "A music disc."

False takes it from her hand, "Ooo, we'll have to play that later." She holds it up, hands curved around its edges.

"Ambrosium torches?" Cleo says, taking one out. It lights automatically, the yellow ore glowing brightly. False tilts her head, with a soft 'oh.'

"Is that why our torches don't work?" She suggests, taking the one Cleo offers her. There's only three, so they can't go throwing them about. Stick to glowstone. Cleo hums, breaking the empty chest. It's made of skyroot too. Figures. False goes to open another chest, casually flipping open the top.

She shrieks, stepping back into Cleo when the chest reveals sharp teeth. Cleo jumps forward, swinging her pickaxe into the open mouth. False retaliates by swinging her sword into the side of the chest. It vanishes, leaving the two staring at the space it was. They turn to meet each other's eyes. False's mouth opens, gesturing towards the chest was.

"Do we have to open the other one?" Cleo asks, staring at it. False, frowns at it. She raises her sword, slamming it on its head. There's no reaction.

"I think we're fine." Cleo steps forward, going to flip it open. She jumps back.

"Not fine! We are not fine!" She kicks it, following through with her pickaxe. False finishes it off with a few solid hits with her sword.

"It didn't even react!" False waves her hand.

"Even the chests are out to get us!" She opens her chat, typing out a quick message to the boys. She scowls at the response she gets. "They knew. They knew and they didn't even tell us." False snorts, dusting off her sword. She glances around the room. Cleo joins her. There's two corridors in this room, both unexplored. Cleo can't see spawners in either. One is pretty short, though.

They pause to heal up before continuing. They only managed the odd bruise and scrape, but it's better to be prepared. Never know what could be around the next corner. Or stairs, in this case. Down the shorter corridor, wrapping themselves around a pillar in the centre of the room. Cleo heads down first, keeping her pickaxe out. It's done well so far against these stone mobs.

Until she steps onto the ground, barely getting a glimpse of bright blue light before something explodes beneath her. She yells some pointedly not-nice things, her elytra fluttering in a panic as she bangs her head on the staircase, and then falls flat on the ground, sharp pain shooting through her body.

False's hands are on her shoulder, with a concerned, "Cleo, oh my god, are you okay?" Cleo groans, takes a quick stock of her limbs, before raising a thumbs up. False sighs above her, and Cleo watches the strange yellow of the ambrosium torch drift over the room. She forces herself to sit up, False's hand hovering.

"I'm good." She lifts up her hand, looking at how its grazed. Across her chest feels the worst, and her hips, where the armour has pushed into her unprotected skin. False winces, looking through her inventory.

"I only have health and regeneration, sorry." She offers her hand out to Cleo instead, helping her onto her feet. Cleo brushes off her clothes, then unstraps her elytra. A chestplate would help better here. False stands guard whilst she does, carefully circling the torch over the stone floor. The rest of the tiles look like they're in the right place. Hopefully nothing else will jump out at them.

Cleo munches a golden carrot as they continue walking. False keeps her sword out, focusing on the ground. Cleo keeps a look out on the general space, the two walking carefully down the corridor.

They encounter one more spawner, the same little green lit cubes. Cleo takes the spawner again, whilst False clears out the mobs that are lingering around. There's only two chests this time. Cleo and False share a look.

"I've never been this unexcited to open a chest before," Cleo says. False hums, nodding her agreement. They're lucky. Only one of the chests turn into the monster. False opens the other one, holding up the items to show Cleo.

There's some more ambrosium torches, a zanite chestplate which False swaps out for her elytra. Then, lastly, there's an egg. False holds it close to her chest. She tilts her head, loose hair falling forward onto it.

"It's a Moa egg?" She says, looking up at Cleo. Cleo purses her lips, leaning towards it. It looks bigger than a chicken egg. She can't remember seeing any eggs hanging around, though.

"Can we hatch it?" Cleo asks, lightly stroking one of the spots. Grey on white. She's so nervous touching it, as if it might break beneath her finger. False hums.

"I don't know, but I'm putting it in a shulker box so I don't break it!" She drops her ender chest, sorting through until she gets the box she wants. Cleo decides to check out the next area whilst she waits.

The corridor opens up into a wide room. The ceiling hangs high, breaking into the floor above. There's no spawners. Instead there's something that takes Cleo's breath away.

It hovers above a platform, taller than any hermit she's seen. A cube sits in the centre, blue eyes glowing on each face. Blue veins emerge from it, in the same bright blue. It's surrounded by a metallic circle of cogs. They turn, clinking and grinding as the eye stares back at her. They all face sideways except two, the cogs facing towards her. She steps back into the corridor, keeping eye contact. The structure turns to follow her.

"False?" She calls, her voice bouncing down the hall. She hears footsteps, armour clacking together.

"What's up?" False's voice carries as she approaches, coming up to Cleo's side. Cleo points forward.

"That." False stills beside her, a hand resting on Cleo's shoulder. There's a drawn out silence between them, interrupted by the clink of the gears. In the darkness of the room, Cleo imagines it looks far more formidable than it does to her adapted eyes. "It's not attacking."

She steps into the room, False sticking to her back, her sword held out in front of them both. Cleo holds her pickaxe ready at her side. They move as a unit, Cleo watching out for any signs of trouble on the floor. The cube never takes its eyes off them.

"Hello?" Cleo asks. Stood in front of it, she realises a bit more the scale of this thing. The hovering alone is up to her chest.

"I don't think it can say hello back," False whispers, leaning close to Cleo's ear. Cleo shrugs.

"You never know! It's always worth a try." False sighs, standing tall again.

"Okay, but what do we _do_?" Cleo, admittedly, doesn't have an answer to that. It seems like they're at a stalemate. Both parties waiting for the other to do something. The gears around the cube spin as if a warning.

Cleo reaches out with her pickaxe. She barely touches it before the eye flashes red, the entire creature taking off into the air. They leap backwards, shoulder to shoulder, as the red drains into the once blue glow.

"Okay," False says, "We're doing this." Her goggles beep, and she pulls them down over her eyes. She relays the information quickly, "The Labyrinth's Eye. Miniboss. It has a health bar."

Cleo nods, "Any advice on how to defeat it?"

"None." They don't have any longer to talk. A gear flies out from the eye, into the space where they were just stood. It clangs against the ground and disappears. It's barely seconds until another is coming at Cleo, and she finds herself running from the assault.

"Attack it!" She yells, above the noise of the gears and the Eye. She chances a glance towards False, who's running after it. It zips through the air, barely in reach.

"I'm trying!" Cleo breathes in through gritted teeth. A gear hits her heel as she runs around a pillar. They clink off the stone, giving her a moment of reprieve. Her foot stings despite the armour. Those things are lethal. The Eye drops down, pausing its assault, and False surges forward, swinging her sword directly into an eye. The boss recoils red, blinking on all sides. Cleo takes the chance, jumping around and swinging into one of the gears. It chips the edge, the gears speeding up again and forcing Cleo back.

The next gear goes into False's chest, sending her stumbling back. She catches herself on the wall, pushing herself off with her free hand and launching. Her sword makes contact once again, two double-handed swings going straight into it. With the attention on False, Cleo takes the chance to sneak up at it's side. She hits the gears as if they're just a block, baring her teeth against the knockback of the moving gears.

Her eyes widen as one gives way, dropping to the ground. It bounces across the floor, skidding to a halt by False's feet. They share a look, interrupted by a gear hitting the wall next to False's head.

"We're doing well!" False calls, as they split across the room. It only targets one of them at a time. Since the attention is on False, Cleo works to get the hits in, exhaling in frustration when the Eye soars out of her reach. Two more gears are scattered around the room. She uses the opportunity to take out her bow, the arrow appearing on it automatically. She pulls the string back to her cheek, one eye closed. It hits its target, straight into the bright red. Her second shot hits, but her third hits the spinning cogs, falling off uselessly.

She dashes from the gear that is shot at her, ignoring the soreness in her limbs. Right now, the Eye is watching them both. Cleo glances around. If she makes it around the corner, it'll give False the opening for a hit. She takes a breath to steel herself, and then runs for it, ducking under a gear that skims the frizz of her hair.

It's been a long time since she fought with False at her side. It comes naturally, predicting her movements, remembering her fighting style. Because False can _fight_. Cleo respects that, especially in this situation. By the time she's skidding around a corner, False has her crossbow out, firing shot after shot. A few reach their target, one hitting the very edge of a gear, its speed sending it flying across the room. False is breathing heavily, pausing only to push her hair back. Cleo mimics the action.

"The boys owe us for this!" She yells, as a gear shoots the wall above her head. She presses hard against the stone, taking a few breaths to calm herself. Shaking hands aren't good for aiming.

"It's on the ground!" Cleo barely even thinks before running out, swapping her weapon. The gears are targeting False, so she has a clean stretch, swinging straight into the glowing red eye. The cogs screech as if in pain, and she flinches at the sound. It fires out gears in a ring, False crying out as one hits her shoulder. Cleo winces as one bashes into her hand, snapping it back. She brings the hand in, clutching it to her chest. That's going to bruise. At least. She takes a deep breath, buries the pain.

"How close are we?" Cleo asks, taking shelter around the corner. False has done the same, the two shouting across the room. The Eye is firing indiscriminately, gears slamming into walls before vanishing into nothing.

"Close!" False yells, rubbing her shoulder. "Just a little more." Cleo nods, shaking out her hand. If anything's broken, she'll deal with it later. Mumbo and Iskall owe her big time. Bow out, she decides to take the risk of shooting around the corner. She times the gears in her head, shooting blind as they hit the opposite wall. She only has a fraction of time to aim and finds herself relieved False is hidden away.

She fires, and the response is a loud screech, the harsh noise of gears grinding together and banging against walls. Cleo takes a chance to look out, and is rewarded by the Eye disappearing, green orbs drifting down, and something dropping to the floor with a clink.

"We did it!" False shouts, bouncing in place. Cleo finds herself laughing, collapsing against the wall behind her with shaking legs. She closes her eyes, breathing out gently. She can distantly feel her heart beating, even if it doesn't feel feel like her own.

False's footsteps echo as she approaches, a bit out of rhythm. Cleo opens her eyes. False's face is damp from sweat, hair tangled at the sides where its been pushed back. Her ponytail needs redoing. But she's smiling, holding up a key. Cleo smiles back, pushing away the exhaustion that drags her limbs down. She brings her injured hand up, looking it over with a grimace. It's already beginning to bruise an ugly yellow.

"I don't even want to look at my chest," False says. Now she's closer, Cleo can hear the slight wheeze in her breathing, the extra grit to her words. Cleo laughs tiredly, tilting her head back. False puffs out an amused breath with her. "The Eye dropped this key. Not sure what it unlocks." Cleo stands properly to look at it.

"It must be something in this dungeon, right?" Cleo says. It makes sense. False nods. Her goggles are still on.

"I think there's three of them. They're up here." She points on the top corner of her goggles. Cleo opens her own overlay, checking the information. There's three key symbols, one of them with a neat '1' instead of a zero.

"Still no sign of the boys, though," She says, cynically. She'd hoped the noise might've drawn them nearer. How big is this? False looks around, frowning gently.

"Let's light this place up. Lick our wounds." Cleo nods in agreement. She holds her glowstone in her uninjured hand, keeping that one tucked close. Hopefully some food will keep it usable for the rest of the dungeon. Otherwise she'll have to try a golden apple.

Lit up, the room looks as battered as they do. They sit on the central platform. The doors are blocked up, to take some time to think. False has taken off her chestplate, wincing as she looks down her top. Cleo gives her a tired smile.

"How bad is it?" She asks. False sighs, undoes her jacket fully. She rolls out her shoulder.

"Pretty bad. Nothing broken though." She looks at Cleo's hand, cradled protectively. "Not sure I can say the same for your hand." Cleo shrugs, stretching her legs out in front of her.

"I'll live."

"Enough to get through the dungeon?" False asks, and Cleo can't tell if she means to sound so accusing.

"I'll be fine." False's face doesn't change. If anything, she looks more disbelieving.

"That was one boss," False points out, "There's at least another two. We can go back. Wait for others." Cleo shakes her head.

"I'll be fine, Falsie. Promise." She tries to smile, but even she knows her heart's not in it. She's not even sure when she last slept. That probably isn't helping. But the thought of leaving the boys worries her more. There's no admin to save them. And hell, she doesn't want Xisuma to worry more than he has to.

"I trust you," False replies. It's the worst thing she could've said, and Cleo nearly agrees to leave the dungeon right there. But she calms herself. She's fought with worse and it'll heal. "Can I at least help?" Cleo's smile comes more genuinely this time. She holds her hand out, and allows False to begin icing it.

This, she can do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome to [ slider's labyrinth!](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/The_Slider%27s_Labyrinth) aka the aether ii version of the bronze dungeon. it's cooler than the first version, so i went with it. some artistic liberty is taken with the labyrinth's eye because ive never actually fought it myself. the items are also kinda based off aether i and videos i've watched.
> 
> the way injuries work is that the hermits heal fast, but injuries and soreness can linger, especially without potions. i've got a lot of ideas about how cleo's zombieness affects her, and potions are part of that.
> 
> i made a post [ here](https://justletmeplayminecraft.tumblr.com/post/187886225454/hc-communicators) about how communicators work, aka why x no longer has access to chat... a dangerous game indeed.
> 
> also i can't write fight scenes. why did i decide to put so many in this story? what a terrible decision.


	8. two down, one (and whatever's behind the door) to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another mini-boss is encountered and two locks are filled.

"Mumbo," Iskall says, firmly, "I understand you want to stay safe, but I am going to go insane if I have to stay in this room any longer." Mumbo sighs. His foot taps against the ground erratically.

"I'm not sure I can stand waiting around much longer either." False and Cleo are somewhere in the maze, given their messages. If they've not found them by now then they've gone a different direction. How could they have known this would be a maze? Iskall grins, taking out his sword.

"We'll run into them," He says, with a sure nod. Mumbo isn't certain he believes that, even if he knows it's logical. They can't comically avoid each other forever. At some point, they've got to end up in the same spot.

They both take time to properly equip themselves. They ran into this without thinking, but now they've got the time to. Mumbo brings out splash potions, keeps his sword in his hand. Any valuables are tucked into his Ender Chest. He would really rather not die doing this. He doesn't want to be the one to find out what happens. But it's better safe than sorry.

"They said they went downstairs, right?" Iskall says, his chat open anyway to check. "Down a pillar. Huh. I don't think I've seen one yet." Mumbo looks at each entrance. It's hard to see into the darkness. All he gets are the stone carvings, like eyes in the night. It doesn't help his nerves.

"We should mark our way," Mumbo suggests, "We've gotten lost once before. And that way, they'll be able to tell where we've gone." Iskall nods.

"Good idea!" He checks through his items, hunting through shulker boxes. He takes out ambrosium, putting together some torches that he holds out to Mumbo. "There's not many, but this way we can light it up as we go." That's smarter than wandering around in the dark, but Iskall doesn't need that kind of ego boost. Mumbo makes up some more torches of his own.

"Where would we go first?" He asks, spinning slowly in place. Iskall stands next to him, hands on his hips. He points to one of the entrances.

"That way."

Mumbo looks down the corridor, "Any particular reason?"

"Nope!" He shakes his head, smiling fondly. Turning reveals Iskall is already smiling at him. He steps forward with a bounce, motioning for Mumbo to follow him. "Come on! Let's show this dungeon who's boss."

One of the bonuses of having Cleo and False in the dungeon is advice. They know to look at the floor and follow the pattern of the stone bricks. They know the mobs don't move when they watch them. Mumbo tries not to think about the telling off they're going to get when they finally find each other. He'll take their advice, not think about how they've found out.

Iskall stops them both in place. He crouches down, waving his torch over a specific spot on the floor. Mumbo leans over him, spots what Iskall has. Amongst the bricks, there's a square out of shape. Iskall raises his sword before slamming it onto the outline. A cube pops up, leaps towards them with a bright blue swirl.

The explosion sends them both flying. Iskall shouts, Mumbo makes a less dignified noise. They both plunge back to the ground, Mumbo landing on his back. His armour digs into his spine, and he groans. Iskall follows with the same noise.

"They didn't say anything about that," Iskall moans. He at least caught himself in a sitting position. He helps Mumbo sit up, squeezing his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Sore," Mumbo replies. Not much use hiding it. Iskall stands first, helping Mumbo again. There's no damage to the floor, and the explosion itself didn't hurt. Only the landing. That glowing symbol, it looked similar to the ones etched in the stones. Mumbo leans against the wall as Iskall types in the chat. He tries and fails to read the reversed words.

"Apparently something like that got Cleo," Iskall says, closing chat back up again.

"Could've warned us," Mumbo says, pushing himself up as they continue walking. Iskall exhales a short puff.

"They didn't know what it was." Mumbo knows. He's not holding it against them. He's just a little hurt and grouchy. He thinks that's justified.

They're more careful heading down the corridor. They encounter one more of those misaligned tiles. Attacking it at the same time seems to do the trick. Iskall picks up the blocks it leaves behind, holding it up against the wall.

"They're the same," He comments, looking at Mumbo. Mumbo nods, but he's a bit more focused on the spawner in the room next to them. Iskall follows his eyeline. His excitement leaves him in an instant. "Great."

Iskall raises his sword, and Mumbo can see his eyes looking over the room. Mumbo raises his own sword, corrects his posture. He tilts his head forward. There's a glow of purple in the room, but Mumbo can't see anything else in the darkness. Iskall picks up a torch, throwing it in.

The purple, it turns out, is from a visor. The mob looks a little shorter than them, but has the same structure. Two arms, two legs, a body, and head. It's formed of dark grey stone. Mumbo thinks he can see a few of them. They stare straight back at them. Mumbo steps forward, putting an instinctive arm in front of Iskall.

The ringing is piercing. He nearly drops his sword in the urge to cover his ears. Iskall grimaces beside him. It's then that the nausea kicks in. Mumbo's entire vision sways, suddenly shifting from side to side. The floor and walls curve around him, and he has to shut his eyes, the movements continuing in his head. It's like he's on some stupid piston ride and he can't make it _stop_.

"Mumbo!" Iskall yells. Mumbo flinches. There's a deafening clang, too close for comfort, and Mumbo opens his eyes just in time to see a curved cube leap at him. The explosion knocks him into the wall. He curls forward, trying to shake off the nausea. Everything feels so far away. He grips his sword until his nails dig into the handle, holding it up defensively.

A hand grabs his arm, nearly pulling him over from the force. Mumbo fights it on instinct until he hears Iskall's voice, urging him to move. He stumbles blindly, opening his eyes to see the floor raising up towards him. He closes them just as fast. Hands lean him against the wall, and Mumbo slides down it.

Something is pushed into his grip, with the order of, "Drink it." Mumbo does, and is relieved to find it's milk. He keeps his eyes shut as his head gradually stops spinning.

"Mumbo?" Iskall's voice is soft, pleasant to Mumbo's sore head. "Are you with me?" Mumbo hums, hesitantly opening his eyes again. Iskall is crouched in front of him, one of his hands placed against Mumbo's forehead. It's surprisingly cool. Mumbo glances to where the spawner was. Iskall has walled it off. Mumbo can't help but sigh in relief.

"That was awful," He murmurs, pushing at the front of his hair. The last of the disorientation is fading, and he's surprised by how tired he feels. "What even was that?"

"Awful, apparently," Iskall replies, his smile a little cheeky. Mumbo rolls his eyes, reaching up to poke Iskall's shoulder. He passes the empty bucket back.

"How come you weren't affected? That's not fair at all." Iskall laughs.

"No, I was affected," He says, pointing to his robotic eye, "I just kept my other eye closed." Mumbo pouts without meaning to.

"That's still not fair! Why don't I have a cool eye?" Iskall laughs, helping Mumbo onto his feet. Mumbo falls onto him, planting his face into his shoulder.

"I can always arrange it," Iskall says, holding up his sword. Mumbo very pointedly stops using Iskall as a support.

"Oh no, absolutely not!" Iskall laughs louder. Mumbo crosses his arms and tries to look like he's not about to start laughing too. "First I'm nearly sick, now my friend wants to take my eye out." Iskall leans over, curling up tight. Mumbo finally cracks a smile, putting a hand on Iskall's back. He glances to the blocked off room. It's a shame they can't get the loot from it, but Mumbo has never dealt well with nausea. He hopes there wasn't any other pathways in there.

"Okay, okay," Iskall takes a deep breath, standing up. He looks at Mumbo's eyes and nearly starts laughing again. Mumbo shakes his head, taking his sword out and walking off ahead. Iskall does laugh that time, skipping to catch up with a call of, "I'm coming!"

They step out into a larger room, a raised platform in the centre. From the doorway, they can see a shadowed cube, sat up ahead of them. It's large, ominous in the darkness. On the side is a red spiral, pulsing in the darkness. The two of them stare up ahead, readying their weapons.

"What is that?" Mumbo asks, leaning close to Iskall's ear. Iskall shrugs, a frown on his face. He lights up the doorway, shining yellow into the room. Mumbo keeps an eye out, trying to spot anything. He doesn't think there's any spawners. He prays there isn't any of those weird golem things.

"It looks clear," Iskall whispers, stepping forward, lighting the way as they go. Mumbo nods, following close. He keeps his eyes on the other side of the room, looking for any hints of movement in the darkness. They nod, splitting apart to light the room before tackling whatever's in the centre. Mumbo can't help glancing, though. There's a segment of it that looks out of place, like something has been slotted into the side. Mumbo frowns.

Something explodes on the other side of the room. Iskall shouts, and Mumbo spins in time to see him hit the central cube, falling to the ground. The light of the cube brightens, and Mumbo steps back as it raises, legs emerging from its base. Iskall stumbles up onto his feet, falling back into the other wall.

"Are you kidding me?!" He says, holding his sword ready. Mumbo raises his own, watching as the cube seems to find its feet.

"It seems not!" He tries to step closer to Iskall, keep up their safety in numbers. Two is still a higher number than one. With a grinding sound, a block ejects itself from the side of the cube, grey with bright red borders. It jolts outwards, as if being pulled on a string. Iskall jumps back when it slides down where he once stood.

Mumbo is a bit more occupied by the now moving cube. The extended legs walk, beginning to trap Iskall into the corner of the room. As it turns, Mumbo sees what he missed before. A large red eye, with carved grooves running off it like wires. It glows the same shade, the eye wide open.

"Mumbo," Iskall calls, having to leap away from another sliding cube, two of them pursuing him. His voice wavers, his stance less confident. He's backed into a corner, and yet Mumbo has been left alone. Mumbo takes a breath, and runs forward, slamming his sword against the largest cube, onto one of the corners. The force goes straight into his hands, and he stumbles back.

"What?" There's not a scratch on the thing. It didn't even react. Iskall runs, sliding underneath the cube, straight between its legs. He holds his hands out, and Mumbo is quick to pull him up, get Iskall onto his feet.

"The red ones only move in straight lines," Iskall speaks quickly, his words blending at the edges, "The big one is a mini-boss. A Slider Host Mimic? It has a health bar and I don't think swords work." Mumbo brings up his own display, glancing at it as they step out of reach of one of the cubes. He drops it back down, holding his sword in front of them both. Iskall is doing the same.

"Well how do we beat it?" Mumbo points his sword towards it. Iskall scowls, flicking to his axe and shield.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out." Mumbo pulls out his bow, taking a step away. "They're after me, so I'll draw them away. You attack it." Mumbo nods.

They split at the centre of the room, the cubes following Iskall. Mumbo raises his bow, firing a few shots. They bounce off the stone without so much as a mark. He checks his display. Doesn't work. Okay. His pickaxe is within reach, so he grabs it next. He thinks Cleo mentioned her's worked well. Iskall is keeping the horde organised, leading them so they don't all scatter across the room.

Mumbo keeps his pickaxe close, watching as Iskall bounces a cube off his shield. He follows around the back. They're all blind to him, but these cubes are getting quickly out of control. Mumbo raises the pickaxe over his shoulder, bringing it down with enough force to knock a chunk out of the mini-boss's corner.

"Pickaxes! Pickaxes work!" He sounds breathless to his own ears. He swipes again, watching the Slider Mimic turn red. He checks the display once more. The health bar has gone down. He closes it, looks up.

There's about five cubes sliding directly towards him. Oh dear.

Following Iskall's lead, he takes out his shield. It's effective to bounce off the smaller cubes, hitting them with his pickaxe as they grow close. It's an easy pattern once he gets into it, time passing only in the soreness of his arms. Fighting _really_ isn't his thing.

He glances up to see where Iskall is. It's a mistake. There's so _many_ of the cubes. The room is full of red sliding around, the glow bouncing off the walls. Mumbo watches for a second too long, enough for a cube to get at his side, knocking him sideways. He presses against the wall, manages to get his shield up, keep on his feet.

"It's on me!" Iskall shouts, above the sound of scraping stone. Distantly, the mimic screeches. Mumbo focuses on what's in front of him, attacking the cubes that are still out for his blood. It takes a few minutes, then Mumbo is clear to attack the mini-boss once more.

The back and forth works. They can balance the load between them both. Iskall's robotics display the information automatically, so Mumbo listens to his call outs. Part of Mumbo wishes the others were here. They'd be thinking of all the ways to break this, to abuse the mechanics and make it as easy as possible. All Mumbo can think about is keeping to the rhythm, and that eye, staring at them both.

"Come on, last push!" Iskall shouts. Mumbo nods. He can ignore the aching of his body, force back the other blocks. He runs forward, targeting the central Slider Mimic directly. He swings, his strike going straight through one of the legs. Glee rises up in his chest, managing to hit the bottom of the mini-boss on the way back up. The moment is cut short when another block finds his side. He's caught off guard, balance wrong, and next thing he knows he's on his side across the room.

He raises his shield, a cube bashing against it and stopping him getting up. Around it, he can see Iskall's back as he solidly hits the Slider Mimic. It raises in the air, the red glow growing and the eye staring, straight at Mumbo. Then its gone, only XP in its place. The smaller cubes disappear with it, leaving only Mumbo and Iskall. Mumbo groans, lying on his back. His shield drops to the ground beside him.

"Mumbo?" Iskall calls. Mumbo looks up, manages to spot Iskall lying in a position not too dissimilar to his own.

"Yeah?"

"It dropped a key or something but I'm not getting up to show you." Mumbo laughs, the relief and pain hitting him all at once.

"I don't blame you, dude." As the adrenalin of battle leaves him, he's beginning to realise how cold he feels on the stone floor. Even that's not enough to convince him to get up again. He shuts his eyes, exhaling the last of his tension.

Mumbo's not even sure how long they lie on the ground like that for. He might have fallen asleep for all the energy he has. Iskall is the one to move first, pulling himself to sit by Mumbo's side. He's humming, pressing a hand against his forehead.

"How bad is it?" He asks. Mumbo sits up slightly. From this angle, he can see the red smudged around his hand. The edges of his lips pull in.

"Oh, jeez." Iskall frowns, taking his hand away and looking at the blood plastered on it.

"Not good, then?" He asks, with a nervous smile. Mumbo raises his eyebrows.

"How did you do that?" Iskall laughs softly, turning his head away from Mumbo. He tries to fidget with his shirt, and instead ends up staining it red.

"Well, I wasn't really paying attention, and one of those things hit my shield and it just went-" Iskall mimes the rest of it, his hand bouncing off his forehead. The cut doesn't look too deep, simply messy. Mumbo takes out some loose fabric, gets Iskall to hold it on the cut as he finds his first aid skulker. Sure, it's mostly potions, but that should be fine in this situation.

"Right, instant healing." Mumbo holds out the potion, Iskall taking it. He rocks it, the liquid inside sloshing, before taking the top off to drink. Mumbo examines the room they're in. He's not sure where's best to go now. He listens to his communicator, finally opening it up.

**[falsesymmetry] Have you guys beaten a mini-boss?**

**[MumboJumbo] Yeah, actually just finished it.**

**[Stressmonster101] miniboss???**

**[Docm77] x wants to know if you guys are ok**

**[ZombieCleo] We're fineeee**

**[iskall85] Wait so have you guys beaten one?**

**[falsesymmetry] Don't you see the key icons?**

**[Zedaph] What is going on in that dimension...**

Iskall adjusts the side of his eye, releasing a soft, "Oh." Mumbo does the same on his display. Sure enough, up in the corner is three keys. Two of them now have a neat 'one' next to it. Does that mean there's one more to go? Whilst Iskall continues chatting, he pulls him over, checking the cut has healed. It's not bleeding anymore, the cut closed into a thin scab above Iskall's eye. It should be fine, as long as it doesn't reopen. The dried blood on Iskall's face looks a bit morbid, though.

"I don't understand how we still haven't found them," Iskall says. Mumbo hums, searching for some water. "They even fought another boss! If it was as loud as that thing we should've heard it." Mumbo hums again. He reaches up, cleaning the flaking blood off carefully. "And we've been in this dungeon forever! How haven't we crossed paths!" Mumbo takes a dry piece of cloth, patting down the blood around the scar. It looks like it didn't get near the eye, because they really don't need that right now. Or blood leaking into the circuitry.

"There." Mumbo sits back, examining his work. Iskall raises an eyebrow.

"Did you listen to any of that?"

"Of course," Mumbo replies."We need to meet up with the others." Because he can, in fact, do more than one thing at once. And it's rude to not listen when someone's talking! Iskall huffs, glancing around the room they're in. There's a few ways they could go next. He's not much liking this maze. It's worse than the strongholds.

They walk and talk. They're both healed up, have licked their wounds and aches. Mumbo would argue not well enough, because he's still pretty sore and only getting tireder, but they can't do much in this dungeon. How long has it even been, now?

"We could share our coordinates," Iskall suggests, "That way we'd at least know we're going in the right direction."

"Yeah but you know what mazes are like," Mumbo replies, "You might have to go all the way around to get somewhere, and then we'd stay lost forever." He puts a torch on the wall, checking the corner for any spawners. If it's any of those golems, they can keep the chests. He's not dealing with that.

"Right now we're just wandering around aimlessly anyway, so." Iskall checks the other direction. "Ah, there's two spawners in there." Mumbo turns. It's a big, open room. Two pillars sit at either side, lit by the flames of the spawner within. Mumbo can't see any of those glowing eyes. Hopefully it's the other mobs.

"Come on. Best to get it over with." Iskall nods, checks he has everything ready.

"One by one or one each?" He asks. Mumbo hums, scratches his chin.

"I say we let loose. One each."

Iskall gives him an amused look, "I really think this maze is getting to you, man." He readies his sword, "But let's do it." Mumbo eyes one of the spawners. There aren't any visible mobs, so they have to assume they're in the floor. Iskall has set his sights on the other one.

"Wish you luck," Mumbo says. Iskall bumps his shoulder, throwing him a quick smile.

"We won't need it." Mumbo just snorts.

They head towards their targets. Mumbo keeps his eyes on the floor, trying to keep the mobs from leaping out. He throws a few torches down along the way, before swapping to some stone as he gets closer. He jumps on top of the spawner, building a protective barrier above him. Then he swings down quickly, watching out around the pillar. When he drops, he knows the spawner has broken. He swaps to his sword, managing to catch the one that jumped up behind him.

He only breathes out when there's no explosion, and he sees the green glow. His next swing misses a block, and he has to regain his footing when it hits his arm. Being on the pillar has left him too open. He drops off it, running to the edge of the room and turning quickly. A few blocks hide back in the floor, but the ones that were too close leap out. Mumbo hits two, and the third hits him against the wall.

Now they're all in his vision, he can be more methodical. He can see them in the ground, and attacks them one by one, knocking them back as they jump. He can hear Iskall and forces himself not to listen. His focus needs to be ahead of him. Swing and hit. If he really wanted, maybe he could call it relaxing. He checks the ground thoroughly before standing down, checking Iskall is okay.

Iskall smiles, torch in hand. Mumbo smiles back. They light up the room together, before joining in the middle once more. Ahead of them, is a large metallic door. It's taller than them, much wider too, with three keyholes in it. Iskall takes out his key, tries it in each lock. It fits into the second one without issue. He steps back again to look up at it.

"What do you think's behind that?" He turns to Mumbo.

Mumbo shrugs, "With our luck, another boss." Iskall laughs slightly, tapping the door. It makes a melodic ting.

"Technically, since those were mini-bosses, there is a _not_ mini boss somewhere?" Mumbo groans at Iskall's logic. Fighting one was enough. He doesn't want to challenge the dad.

"You know, of course the big metal door would have a boss behind it! Who am I to think otherwise?!" He very nearly gives in to the urge to kick the thing. Somehow, it's the fact he doesn't want Iskall to tease him that stops him. Not the reality he'd end up with a broken toe.

"Hey!" They both turn at an all too familiar voice. False walks ahead of Cleo, entering from an unexplored corridor. It's now lit up with a neat path of glowstone. "Could recognise that yelling from anywhere." They naturally move to allow the girls to stand by them.

"We were just discussing how there's probably a boss behind this door." Iskall holds his hand out towards it. Then he leans over, tugs False into a hug. She hugs back, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Man it's nice to see you two."

"We were starting to think we'd be lost forever," Mumbo adds. He doesn't get involved in the hugging, but Cleo doesn't either. He notices how she's defensively holding her hand. Iskall must see it too, because he doesn't go in to hug her. Only smiles, with genuine joy. She smiles back.

They both look a bit worse for wear. False has a bruise creeping onto her collarbone, the discoloured skin just visible over her shirt. Her hair is in a tight ponytail, but strings have been pulled out over her shoulders. Her goggles are sat on top. Cleo's hair is everywhere, but that's not really new. He can see some bruising, an odd colour on her skin. But the hand is the most noticeable. He just doesn't want to be the one to point it out.

He remembers they look the same when False gently wipes the scar on Iskall's forehead.

"Oh, when did you get that?" She asks, her voice soft. Iskall looks to Mumbo, face scrunched up.

"Fighting the boss," Mumbo answers for him. "It sent out these sliding block projectiles. One of them hit his shield."

"Shield hit face," Iskall continues, "Face bled." False snorts, giggles slightly.

"So they're different then?" Cleo says, looking at the door as she does, "Because ours' was surrounded by gears that it kept launching at us." Mumbo doesn't think about how terrifying that sounds.

"We just had a block with legs and a projectile hole." Iskall pauses, then adds, "And a really creepy eye."

"Oh, that might be a trend," False replies. Mumbo really doesn't want to know what their boss looked like. What they fought was bad enough.

"We also saw these... Golem things?" Mumbo says, because he can't recall them mentioning any. Iskall gives Mumbo a look.

"I saw those golem things. They inflicted nausea and then I had to drag Mumbo away from the golem things." The women wince in sympathy. Mumbo gives Iskall a triumphant look of his own. He seems to think everybody can just shut their eye and use a robot one.

"So we need to look out for those. Got it." False places her sword tip on the floor, spinning it in place.

"What's this thing, then?" Cleo asks. She points at the door. "You mentioned bosses?"

Iskall nods, stepping up to tap the key in the central lock, "The key we got from the mini-boss fitted here perfectly." False walks up, tries her key. It fits in the first one she tries.

"Three locks, three keys." She turns to the others. "One more to go, then?"

"And what's going to be behind that door," Mumbo reminds them.

"We found a staircase going down another level," Cleo informs them. "Think that might be a good place to start?"

"As good a place as any," Iskall replies.

"I'm not sure if you noticed, but we got lost the moment we entered," Mumbo jokes. He would rather trust them with this directions stuff.

"I'm surprised Area 77 haven't tried to examine you two," False says, "How can two people so smart be so useless?"

"Hey!" Iskall folds his arms, following after False and Cleo as they lead the way into the glowstone-lit corridor. "We beat a thing!"

"We beat ours' first!" Cleo calls back, "And we looked cooler doing it!"

Mumbo leans close to Iskall, "They probably have us on that one." Iskall laughs brightly. He could light up the dungeon with that laugh alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is usually where id link to mobs and stuff but im super tired finishing this up so none this time. on the same note, apologies if there's more mistakes than usual! i keep noticing mistakes in earlier chapters too and forgetting to fix them asjlhda
> 
> the golems they 'fought' were the Tracking Golem's. i personally imagine nausea would be a lot worse experiencing it in reality than through a computer screen. not got a vr set to check tho and don't particularly feel like it.
> 
> the mini-boss is the Slider Host Mimic. that eye really is creepy. you can actually beat it with swords, but i feel like lore-wise it makes more sense to match, you know, what it's mimicking.
> 
> thank you all for reading!! you're all lovely and i hope you have wonderful weekends (or weeks or always, depending when you're reading this.)


	9. *boss music intensifies*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last mini-boss is defeated. A mistake is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been awhile. but it's Done.

It turns out, it is much easier to tackle a dungeon with four of them.

Mumbo should've expected this, really. False and Iskall are some of the best fighters they have. Those two on their own could easily take the dungeon. Mumbo helps where he can. After how much he's slept, he's getting sick of feeling so tired. Plus, they try to compensate for Cleo, who looks much worse for wear as they get moving.

Downstairs has been much of the same thing. Small rooms, big rooms, spawners and chests. The most interesting loot they've had so far have been an iron ring False quickly stole, some blowdarts, a necklace False also grabbed, and a cape with something that looked like a blue slime on it. This dimension has a lot of depth to it, especially in comparison to the Nether or End. This dungeon alone has pretty much given them more to explore than the entire End.

"What do we think this does?" False asks, holding the cape out in front of her. She twirls it around, showing off the pattern.

"Something to do with slimes?" Mumbo suggests. It certainly looks like a slime. Maybe it's something they've yet to see in this dimension.

"I mean, it's called a Swet Cape," Cleo says over her shoulder. She's already heading towards the next corridor, pickaxe in her uninjured hand. "Something to do with Swets?"

"What even is that?" Iskall asks, taking long strides to catch up with Cleo. False shrugs, putting the cape away before joining them. Capes, as cool as they look, are a nightmare to fight in. Or, in general. They always drag in Mumbo's redstone without him noticing. It takes forever to fix.

"We'll have to find out, won't we?" False replies, sword and shield in hand. Xisuma hasn't told them where Grian's coordinates are. But since he said a far distance away, he probably means it. They're going to spend a lot of time in this dimension. Eventually, hopefully, they'll learn to survive in it better than they are.

"Golem!" Iskall calls. Cleo's already stopped next to him. She has her bow in hand but seems afraid to use it. It's the same purple glow and Mumbo freezes up completely. They're not close enough to activate it, he thinks, but its growing closer.

An arrow slots directly into the visor, shattering the screen and revealing the glowing gemstones behind it. It's only visible for a split second, as the golem disappears. False lowers her bow. Her face is set in a hard line. Mumbo's more glad the thing is dead before he took an impromptu carnival ride.

"Those mobs look eerily handbuilt," Iskall comments, straightening up now the threat has passed.

"Definitely more human than I'm used to," False agrees, slotting her bow back away. Cleo walks out in front, her eyes squinted into the darkness.

"You hang out with me, that's not much of a statement." Though her tone is joking, she's completely concentrated on the corridor up ahead. "There's a spawner to that side, looks like that golem around it, but they have a different eye colour. Yeah, definitely green." Iskall and False look at each other, holding a conversation without saying a word.

"We'll go first, fight them off. Then you two head in to get the spawner whilst they're distracted." False talks carefully, following the orders with her hands. It's a strategy they've used a few times, they simply haven't encountered these enemies before. Cleo turns to Mumbo, offers up a bright smile.

"You ready?" She asks. Mumbo twirls his sword.

"Let's go." Iskall and False nod at each other. Iskall shoots first, firing from his crossbow. It hits the shoulder of one of the golems, knocking it back. The noise attracts the attention of the others, the stone creatures turning. False runs forward, sweeping her sword across the group of them. Once they're occupied, Cleo gestures to Mumbo, and the two run forward.

It goes smoothly. Mumbo gets to the spawner, and Cleo stands her ground in protecting him. She fights off the enemies that spawn around them, until Mumbo can turn and begin fighting with her. These ones throw small cubes that explode. With the right angle, the projectiles can angled back and hurt the mobs themselves.

"Alright!" False calls. Her hand is on her hip, sword tilted to the ground. She's smiling, the room emptied out. Iskall places torches in the corners, so they can see what they're working with. There's only one corridor that isn't a dead end.

"We must be getting towards the end, right?" Cleo asks. "We've got things to do."

"We didn't have to beat the dungeon," Mumbo says, which is what he argued at the start. They have no idea if this will even be beneficial to their mission. Only that it was mostly accidental, and something to do until Xisuma is ready.

"We did," Cleo replies, without hesitation.

"Hopefully we find the last mini-boss soon," False says. "Then we can see what's behind the door."

"Exciting." Cleo's tone doesn't quite match the word. She's holding her pickaxe at her side, leaning on it.

"Guys?" Iskall calls. He's stood in the corridor to the next room, half shadowed. His diamond eye glows a faint blue. "I may have found it." They skip over there, somewhat literally in False's case. The four of them stand in the doorway, observing the beast ahead.

Whatever machinery this dimension has, it's advanced. Mumbo has to give it to them. On the central platform is what looks like a golem. It has no legs, instead hovers slightly above the stones. Similar to the sun thing. A purple-blue gem is embedded in its chest, creeping outwards in veins. It looks like there's also ones on the arms, that point down at the ground. Mumbo can't see the visor. The head is tilted away, as if the golem is sleeping. False pulls her goggles on, as Iskall adjusts his eye.

"Last chance to back out," She says, raising her sword. Mumbo raises his own, Cleo lifting her pickaxe.

"Everybody ready?" Iskall asks. There's three nods in return. "I'll wake it up. Keep it on me whilst we work out how it attacks." Mumbo frowns. Iskall's putting a lot of pressure on himself to keep dodging. But he has to trust him. Otherwise they're not going to get anywhere.

"I'll step in if you need it." False leaves no room for disagreement. Mumbo feels a bit better knowing Iskall's recklessness won't go entirely unchecked.

He nods, "Let's go."

They spread across the room, giving Iskall space. He fires directly in the gem. It splinters, the crack echoing off the walls. The golem lifts up, visor lighting up red. It stares directly at Iskall.

"Sentry Guardian," False calls, "From how much damage that did, I think it has a lot of health." Around the Guardian, the small cubes spawn in. Blue. Oh no. The cubes scatter, coming towards each of them. Mumbo takes after Cleo, swaps to his pickaxe. He quickly swipes at the cube in the ground, but isn't quick enough to avoid its explosion, barely landing on his feet. Pain shoots up his legs, but not as bad as it could've been.

The others manage without the detonations, and Mumbo tries not to be salty about it. He doesn't get long to think anyway. They look up, just in time to see the Guardian hit Iskall, throwing him into the air. He hits the wall, falling to the ground in a crumple.

"Iskall!" Mumbo shouts, feeling his heart hammer in his chest. He turns, watching as False attacks the Guardian, another bunch of cubes spawning around it. Cleo moves in to handle them, whilst False darts back, never staying still for a moment. Mumbo takes the chance, runs to Iskall's side, keeping his eyes on the fight.

He crouches against the wall by Iskall's side, only then daring to look at him. Iskall is, thankfully, awake. He's pushed himself against the wall, clutching around his chest tightly.

"I didn't think it would hit that hard." Mumbo tries not to let the pain in Iskall's voice panic him further. He fumbles for a potion, passing it to Iskall quickly. They're not in a position to do much more.

"Are you going to be okay to fight?" Mumbo asks, completely ready to take Iskall out of this dungeon if he has to. But Iskall shakes his head, wiping his mouth.

"I'll be fine," He replies, taking Mumbo's hand and pulling himself up. "Don't let it hit you."

"Was already planning on that." The wall cracks where the Guardian's fist slams into it, as if proving a point. Mumbo's not convinced he could survive one of those hits. Iskall gives him a lopsided grin, before running back into the fray. He only holds himself slightly hunched, so Mumbo has to hope he manages this.

Mumbo picks up his own sword again, rushing back to handle the multiple explosive cubes gathering on the ground. As long as he lands on his feet, he should be okay. Or he could learn to kill them in two hits like the others do. Maybe he should work on that.

"Duck!" Mumbo does it on instinct, a rush of air going over his head. He looks up, away from the cubes hidden in the tiles, to see the Guardian in front of him, facing away. He stumbles back, raising his sword. He's close enough to get a good few hits in. He just needs to be ready to run after.

He takes the shot. His swings hit solid, managing a few good ones before the Guardian turns. Mumbo steps back, shifting onto his heels. The Guardian raises his arm, and it slams the floor, close to brushing Mumbo's clothes. It moves fast, for all its creaking. Mumbo can see very easily now how it caught Iskall off guard.

He shifts tact, focuses on dodging each blow. Even being caught partially would be killer. Its made of proper stone. Up this close, Mumbo can even see the rough texture, the cracks in its fists. He'd maybe prefer to see it when it isn't hurtling towards his face, though. He ducks, but doesn't notice the one arm swinging lower, towards his side, until it clangs against the armour, sending him collapsing onto his side without air in his lungs.

"Take the heat!" False calls. Mumbo didn't even see when she got this close, dragging him out of the way of the next blow. The Guardian's gem flashes, and it turns. Mumbo didn't see to who, instead False is pushing a potion into his hands, crouching down beside him. "You okay?" She asks. Her hand is on his shoulder, keeping him steady and sat upright. The Guardian doesn't come near them.

Mumbo nods, "That's going to bruise." Her smile is sympathetic, considering the bruising creeping out her armour already.

"Moves fast, doesn't it?" Mumbo nods. She takes his arm, helps pull him up again. Turning, she looks at information Mumbo can't see. "We're doing good. Just try not to get hit." Mumbo smiles at the repeated advice. She squeezes his arm, letting him go so she can rejoin the fight.

Mumbo's side is stiff despite the potion, but he's not considering himself out yet. He knows the other three wouldn't mind (maybe some teasing) but he's not going to be the first to bail. He works on the explosive cubes, finding that if he hits thrice and hits fast, he's able to take them out before they explode.

They can't stop for a second. Mumbo pushes through the ache in his muscles, moving with the flow of battle. False and Iskall take the front, passing the Guardian between them both like a dance. Iskall doesn't make the same mistake twice. The Guardian doesn't get near him. Mumbo hates to admit it, but he's not sure Iskall would survive another hit like that.

"Come on!" Iskall shouts. They're all breathing heavily. Mumbo feels damp all over from the constant movement. Cleo has to push her hair back every few seconds, whilst wisps of False's fly around her with every movement. The boss might have more health, but there's four of them. Iskall deals the last blow.

They step back as the gemstones glow brighter, before the Guardian shatters, with a final, loud crack. As the XP orbs fall, they stand, still poised to fight. Their gentle twinkling mixes with their breathing. Where the Guardian once stood is now a key, spinning on the ground.

"We've done it," False says. She lowers her sword, walking over to pick it up. She holds it up, her smile tired.

"We can open the scary door!" Iskall cheers. He's found the nearest wall and slumped against it. Mumbo does the same, dropping down next to him. He takes off his chestpiece, taking the pressure off his side for a bit.

"I'm beginning to wonder if we should," Cleo says. Her expression is tight, and she's hunched in on herself slightly. But, her tone is still sarcastic, she's still trying to crack a smile.

"We could at least look in it?" Iskall suggests. "If it's another boss, we could go. Come back later. If it's loot, then." He raises his eyebrows. Cleo laughs lightly, whilst False smiles, shaking her head.

"Yeah, okay. Cleo, Mumbo, are you okay with that?" Cleo nods, shrugging a little. Mumbo nods. He doesn't want to get in another fight, but all of these bosses needed activating. Technically, they could even run away from them. This should be fine.

"Can we sit here a little longer first?" He asks, instead, taking out his potion. It'll stave off the worst of the soreness. Iskall takes out his own. They smile, clink the bottles together.

False nods, "I can agree with that."

* * *

They sit for longer than they mean to. All of them pressed against the wall, chatting away with their voices echoing off the walls. This maze is now the empty shell of something grand. Mumbo wanders what it was built for. Who even built it? In the same way there was life in the other dimensions, there is a very present feeling of life in this one.

When they start towards the door, their progress is slow. By choice, entirely. They've cleared out the mobs, lit up the halls. There's nothing slowing them down, and they take their time anyway. Even if pressed, Mumbo couldn't answer why. Possibly the injuries they've all racked up from this dungeon. Possibly the feeling of limbo, of being cut off from the outside world. Mumbo, really, doesn't know.

They make it to their destination all the same. The door continues to look imposing, no matter how well it's been lit up. The keys still sit in their locks. False steps up with the empty one. She holds out the key, turning to them.

"Remember, if there's a boss, we don't engage." It's a stern warning, and they nod in agreement. She pushes in the key, turns out ever so slightly until it clicks. The door glows a bright white, before crumbling away.

Behind it is a room like the one they're stood in. False hesitantly steps forward, her hand resting on the block that bordered the door. Iskall sneaks up as well, all four of them trying to get a better look. There's no obvious chests. Instead, there's a platform, and a block. On each side of it is a semi-circle, like a closed eye.

"Do you think that's a boss?" Mumbo asks, daring a few further steps in. False hums, nodding her head. Her hand drops off the wall, rests on her sword handle.

"Can we find any loot?" Iskall asks, "There must be something somewhere. This _is_ the final boss."

"I mean, the Dragon doesn't really drop much," Cleo says, her voice a whisper compared to theirs. "Only her egg."

"And a ton of experience," Mumbo adds. Cleo gives him a look. Meanwhile, Iskall has begun circling the room, searching each corner for anything hidden.

"Do you think we could break that thing in the middle?" Iskall asks, stepping up to it. It's a bit taller than them, sat undisturbed. Mumbo joins him, False at his side. The three look up, as Cleo explores on the other side of the room.

"It looks like a boss," False says, with a firm sense of finality. Mumbo hums in agreement. He'd recognise the those eyes anywhere.

"I mean," Iskall says, attempting to find a compromise between the loot and not fighting, "We could hit it, see if there's anything underneath, and then run. Of course, if you guys don't want to, then we don't have to." False looks to Cleo, her lips drawn in.

"It's risky," False says. She makes no further comment.

"I think it should be okay," Mumbo says, "We should be able to get away from it. And the dungeon is a dimension itself, right? What if it resets?" False sighs, crossing her arms. Cleo has joined them by now, looking up at the cube.

"You guys stay by the door," False decides, looking to Mumbo and Cleo. "I'll attack it, you look for loot." She pulls on her goggles, taking out a sword. Iskall does the same, readying his own. Cleo shares a shrug with Mumbo, the two waiting by the doorway. False turns once, checks they're out the way, and then swings her sword straight into the block.

The eyes all shoot open.

The block lurches forward, shoving False back. It goes in for a second hit, before she manages to stumble away, breaking into a run towards them. Iskall steps into her place. Without him even hitting it, the block changes path towards him.

"Guys-" Her voice is high, "-The door's gone." Mumbo spins around, finding a wall where the doorway used to be.

"Oh this is-" He groans, raising his sword. Iskall shouts next.

"It's the Slider!" He yells. False turns, running back to help him, "Swords don't work!"

"Pickaxes!" Mumbo shouts, taking out his own. Cleo raises her's, taking a deep breath in. "They worked on the Mimic!"

"Good call!" Mumbo activates his display, glancing down at it. Their hits are doing so _little_. He gets a few splash potions ready, and he and Cleo run in to join the fray.

Up close, it's quick to realise a few things. The Slider doesn't discriminate between targets. It doesn't care if you hit it or not. It will come for you. The next, is that it moves in the same straight lines as the Mimic. But it moves fast. In a long line, it moves faster than they can run. Thankfully, with all four of them, it goes rapidly between them.

It's also an absolute marvel. The inside of the eyes are encrusted with blue gemstones, glittering and pulsing with their eerie glow. It's extraordinary. Mumbo wonders what kind of abilities these gems have that it can power so many creatures. He thinks that less when the Slider changes course suddenly, ramming into his side, before going in for another blow. Cleo drags him to the side, the edge hitting Mumbo's arm. She skirts it, following its movements in a box shaped pattern, always one step ahead.

Once she's let go of Mumbo, she begins getting hits in. Each time she moves, she's swinging the pickaxe ready for when they stop. Her eyes are set straight ahead, focusing on nothing but the boss. It's only interrupted when False gets close enough, swinging precisely.

"Look out!" False's warning comes as a few cubes break off from the side, with the familiar blue spiral. The warning isn't fast enough, an explosion sending Iskall into the air. Cleo is able to handle the ones closest to her, protecting Mumbo at the same time. He runs around, dropping down by Iskall, throwing the potion between them.

"Are you my guardian angel, huh?" Iskall says. He's trying to be humorous but Mumbo can hear the pain in his voice. He huffs, amusement in his breath. He can pretend like they're not hurting.

"Come on, before it sees us." Mumbo drags Iskall up, pushing a normal healing potion in his hand. He's going to need to restock after this. The particles drift off them both, but Iskall chugs the bottle, running back after the Slider. Mumbo takes a deep breath, shaking his head. Even if he's not the best at fighting, he can keep his friends alive.

Himself is an entirely different matter.

Mobs that actively change their target are rare. Not many of them have those kind of capabilities. Most of the ones in this dungeon didn't. But The Slider seems to be the exception to that rule. The final boss, head honcho, or whatever else. Like the Enderdragon, in that regard. Something that breaks the mold. Unfortunately for him, he's never been the best at paying attention.

Dealing with the exploding cubes on the floor is a full time job in itself. The Slider seems to shed them more and more as its health goes down. False and Iskall are managing between them both, but one wrong step and they're sent flying in a cloud of white. The Slider is also much faster than its mimic counterpart. When Mumbo is already mostly looking down, it spells disaster.

One of the cubes explodes and Mumbo finds himself in the air, trying to stay upright. Until, of course, something slams into his side with more force than a piston, hitting him once, twice. He can't help the gasp of pain that escapes him, bruises developing upon bruises.

When he lands, it's on his side. His head hits the ground hard, pain shooting in an arch and settling. Somebody is pulling him, dragging him to his feet. Mumbo can barely feel it, distracted by the strange patterns of light he can see in his vision. He's not had a concussion many times before, but he thinks this might be one.

"Just because it's a different boss doesn't mean 'Don't get hit' no longer applies," False murmurs, her voice too loud to Mumbo's ears. He bristles.

"Not so loud," His words come out with a hiss. His vision clears enough that he can see False's face, her stare blank besides a raised eyebrow. She thrusts a potion into his hand.

"How are you feeling right now?" She asks, crouching in front of him. She rests her arms on her knees, swaying a little instead of her usual perfect balance. Mumbo feels like the sound of the battle is giving him a headache. He feels a bit sick, and still tired. In truth, that blow took a lot out of him.

In reality, he replies, "A little bruised." False levels him with a long look, before glancing behind her to check where the fighting is. They've managed to keep the boss across the room, the pair working efficiently with each other.

"I'd tell you to leave but that's not really an option," She looks at the door, sighing. "Try to stay out the heat of battle." As she says it, The Slider makes a loud, echoing clunk. Its eyes seem to blink, opening up pure red. Mumbo can only watch as it crosses the room in half the time it did before. False growls, standing with her pickaxe in front of them.

Mumbo presses his hand against the wall, pushing up onto his feet. He forces down the sick feeling in his throat, raising his own pickaxe. This fight is certainly going to ruin their schedule. He's pushed himself way beyond his limits and now he can barely keep his eyes open. But like False said, they can't flee this fight. They have to win it.

Mumbo sticks to the sidelines, using the wall as support. One eye on the hermits, the other on the boss. Running around and throwing potions of healing and strength is the easiest way to help right now. If he ignores the feeling of his legs locking up beneath him. In truth, it's almost more interesting watching them fight. The three work so efficiently, calling out between them, attempting to take the heat when needed. Quick gestures point out all the information he needs to know.

"Come on, come on!" Iskall shouts, hitting his pickaxe with his other hand. False shouts, launching herself towards it. Mumbo can only watch as she strikes the Slider, freezing as it finally stills. The red eyes stare, the crystals sparkling, then they close. The Slider falls still, then disappears completely, leaving a single key in its place.

"Have we actually done it?" Cleo asks, stepping towards the centre of the room. False watches the experience orbs drift towards her, breathing deeply. Her pickaxe is still held up in front of her.

"I think we have," She says, close to a whisper. Mumbo works hard to ignore the pounding in his head, the dizzy and sicky feeling setting in. He walks forward as Iskall picks up the key, pickaxe still ready in his other hand. It looks like the cut above his eye has reopened, red bubbling up.

"Come on, I think I saw some trapdoors in the centre." Iskall leads them, grunting as he steps onto the platform. Mumbo follows, finding the one block a lot harder to climb than it should be. Cleo runs up behind them, False next to her. Iskall lifts the trapdoors, finding a chest beneath it. He twirls the key in his hand before inserting it into the lock.

"We've actually done it," False says, a wide smile taking her face. Iskall opens the chest wide, all of them peering in. It's filled with items, stacked neatly and ready for the taking. Iskall reaches in, picking out what look like small blades.

"Lightning knives," He says, looking to the other hermits. He balances them on his hand, grinning widely.

"Don't throw that in here," Cleo says, pointing at him. Iskall lowers his hands, watching as False pulls out an impressive looking ring, and a red stone. She holds them in each hand, weighing them against each other.

"This is a bone ring," She says, holding it between her fingers. The ring is white as bone, with the structure jutting out at each corner.

"That sounds so cool," Iskall leans forward over the chest to look at it. False laughs, passing it over to him. Iskall puts it on immediately. He holds up his hand, posing and getting laughs out of the two women. Mumbo manages a smile.

"And this is a regeneration stone." False bounces it in her hand. "I have no idea how it works." The gem looks like a red diamond, glistening off the lights in the room.

"We can figure it out," Cleo decides, reaching into the chest herself. She only uses the one hand, her other pressed closely against her chest. "Someone else needs to pick up that sword," She points to it, as she picks out the food in the chest, tucking into it with a smug smile. Iskall rolls his eyes at her, taking out the sword. They all jump back once it's fully equipped, the point reaching over the chest.

"What is this?" Iskall lifts it up with wide eyes.

"Long," Mumbo says, helpfully. Iskall gives him a stare.

"A danger to us if you don't hold it still?" False adds, with just as helpful a tone.

"The correct answer is a Valkyrie Lance," Iskall says, not looking at either of them. He steps back from the group to give it a try, get used to its length.

"What's a Valkyrie?" Cleo says, rooting back through the chest. She pulls out a book, sitting innocently towards the bottom, at the same time False pulls out a cape.

"I have no idea," Iskall replies, "But they must be pretty cool to have weapons like this." He puts it away to pluck out the last item in the chest. A small gummy looking sweet, which resembles a slime.

"Guys, look at this," False says, holding up the cape. She wraps it around herself, and vanishes, armour and all. Cleo gasps, book clutched in her hand. False reappears as the cape falls from her shoulders. "It's an invisibility cloak!"

"Oh this is so cool!" Cleo bounces. She reaches out for the cloak, and False gives it to her, swapping her for the book. Cleo swirls the cloak around her shoulders, with her one hand. Iskall laughs, leaning over False's shoulder to read the book. She's paging through it, smile growing larger as she does.

"Guys," She says, looking up from it, "Guys this is like... A guide to the world. Like it's got blocks and recipes and stuff in it." She looks excited. Mumbo leans over, but finds the words look like gibberish to him. She flips past a few empty pages, all of them crowding around her. "This is an absolute game changer!"

"We've got to show the others," Iskall says, glancing towards the open doorway. When did that happen? Mumbo blinks at it, feels a little stupid. Cleo opens her communicator, giving them a sheepish look.

"Yeah," She says, "This might take some explaining."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, the final mini-boss, aka the [Sentry Guardian ](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Sentry_Guardian)! i personally think they're really cool.
> 
> also some of the loot at the end. the [regeneration stone](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Regeneration_Stone), it passively regenerates health when equipped. [ lightning knives](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Knife?comments_page=1), throwable objects that strike lightning where they hit. the [ bone ring](https://aether.fandom.com/wiki/Bone_Ring). it increases melee damage. the invisibility cloak is self explanatory, although they were removed and replaced with like... minions or something idk. And the book of lore! aka, finally, i can stop calling stuff things!
> 
> anyway, hopefully it won't be so long a break next time.

**Author's Note:**

> my mineblr is [justletmeplayminecraft](https://justletmeplayminecraft.tumblr.com/). follow me there for hermitcraft stuff!
> 
> my main tumblr is [lackyducks](https://lackyducks.tumblr.com). that's mostly my other fandoms.
> 
> thank you for reading! feel free to message my mineblr with questions or if you just want to talk hermitcraft or anything!


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